Moscow superintendent proposes closing Russell Elementary

The Moscow School District superintendent has proposed a cost-cutting plan to the school board that includes closing Russell Elementary at the end of this school year and shifting its students to other Moscow elementary schools.

The plan from Shawn Tiegs also includes cutting four elementary staff positions next year.

“My goal in this recommendation is to put the Moscow School District in a healthy position,” Tiegs told the Daily News on Tuesday.

Tiegs sent an email to district parents detailing his plan Tuesday. He will host a public hearing on the matter 7 p.m. March 18 at Moscow Middle School. The school board will make a decision during its regular monthly board meeting March 27.

Tiegs pointed to a slow decline in district enrollment during the past decade, and cuts in state funding as primary reasons for his plan.

Tiegs said the cost-cutting actions will free up more funds to address facility needs in a district where all of the schools are more than a half-century old. In February, the district hosted several community meetings to discuss school facility needs, including the possibility of building a new school.

Tiegs said the plan will also free up money so the district can fully fund all-day kindergarten classes itself. Currently, Tiegs said, the district relies on state literacy funds to pay for half the kindergarten day. With these proposed changes, Tiegs said the district can use those literacy funds for students who need the money for its intended purpose.

The superintendent’s proposal will also move students out of the nearly century-old Russell Elementary building. Tiegs wrote in his letter to parents that the building is not Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) compliant. No significant upgrades to building accessibility have occurred for more than 50 years which makes it cost prohibitive to update, he wrote.

“Our costs of operation and inefficiencies of operating an old building and a fourth elementary with our enrollment will only continue to grow, meaning that valuable and limited resources are not put to their most effective use,” he wrote.

If the board approves this plan, that means the majority of Russell’s 140 students will move to West Park Elementary. All fifth-graders will move to McDonald Elementary or Lena Whitmore Elementary. This shift will transform West Park into a K-4 school. Lena Whitmore and McDonald will be K-5 schools.

Tiegs told the Daily News that classrooms will stay within the maximum classroom size of 22 students for grades kindergarten through second grade. The maximum for grades 3-5 is still 26, he said.

Tiegs said up to four district-wide elementary school positions will be cut. Staff members will be ranked based on five categories, and the lowest ranked will be laid off.

If his plan is approved, Tiegs said the district will have to decide what to do with the Russell Elementary building. He said the district could vacate the property or use it for other district needs.

If Tiegs’ proposal is denied by the board, Tiegs said the district will continue to perform at a high level. However, he warned that keeping with the status quo will leave the district ill-prepared for the future.

“I don’t think we’re going to put ourselves in a position to really be successful for the next 100 years if we don’t start making some tough decisions,” he said. “We’re behind on facilities. Our newest buildings are 60-70 years old.”

According to the letter Tiegs sent to parents, elementary enrollment is 20% less than it was 15 years ago, and the district’s current kindergarten class is its smallest class. This has resulted in class sizes that are significantly smaller than the negotiated maximums.

In addition to a slow enrollment decline, Tiegs said the district is also being hampered by Idaho’s decision to base school funding on average daily attendance.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, the state temporarily began allocating money to schools based on enrollment instead of attendance. It switched back to attendance-based funding last year, and Moscow School District saw a reduction in money, Tiegs said.

If Russell is closed down, Russell Principal Marianne Sletteland will take over principal duties at West Park Elementary. Tiegs said West Park’s current Principal Brian Smith will continue his part-time principal duties at Paradise Creek Regional High School. Teigs said Smith will also take on a role leading a district career and technical education program, and a community-school engagement program.

Tiegs said he consulted with district administrators and principles to formulate this plan.

“I 100% believe it’s the right decision,” Tiegs said about his plan. “These things are hard, but it’s worthwhile doing hard things.”

Kuipers can be reached at akuipers@dnews.com.