(From Springfield Public Schools)The SPS Board of Education held two public hearings today, in accordance with Board policy, to determine the future of Robberson Elementary and the K-5 portion of Pershing School. Following those hearings, the Board approved the following actions:
-Closure of Robberson Elementary at the end of the 2023-2024 school year. Beginning in August 2024, Robberson students will attend the nearby Boyd Elementary, a brand new school built only two years ago.
-Closure of the K-5 portion of Pershing Elementary at the end of the 2025-2026 school year. Beginning in August 2026, Pershing Elementary students will attend the nearby Field or Wilder elementary campuses, depending on the address of residence. Plans for the extensive renovation and rebuild of Pershing Middle School (grades 6-8) will begin now that the scope of work has been defined for a middle school project. Groundbreaking will begin in 2026 with completion in 2028.
In November, the Board of Education received the results of a demographic study, which analyzed current and future population trends within the SPS attendance boundaries.
The study identified opportunities for improvement to help address the underutilization of some schools and a projected overall decline in enrollment. On December 19, recommended changes were presented to the Board of Education, including the closing of Robberson Elementary and the K-5 portion of Pershing Elementary.
Robberson and Boyd elementary schools are both underutilized due to low enrollment, which is projected to continue declining over the next 10 years. The Board’s action combines the Robberson and Boyd attendance areas with all students attending the newly constructed Boyd campus, completed in 2021, only 1.5 miles from Robberson.
Currently, Pershing serves 151 students in grades kindergarten through 5, which is a very small elementary campus. By moving those students to nearby Field and Wilder, Pershing will be renovated/rebuilt as a middle school serving only grades 6-8. Now that the scope of work for the project has been determined, renovations will begin in 2026 for completion in 2028.
Today’s decisions by the Board of Education will ensure that Pershing and Robberson students have an improved learning environment and enhanced academic support, both of which are key priorities of the SPS strategic plan. The actions also improve organizational and fiscal efficiency.
A recording of today’s public hearings and combined Board of Education meetings will be posted here on January 17.
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