In times of budgetary shortfalls and attempts to make ends meet, two of Ames’ elementary schools are in the spotlight. Roosevelt Elementary School and Northwood Elementary School are being considered for closure for the 2005-06 fiscal year.

Superintendent Ray Richardson presented a proposal on May 2 recommending the closure of Roosevelt and Northwood elementary schools in order to save $1.3 million from next year’s budget.

Concerned Ames parents and community members are strongly opposing the budget recommendations. One common theme in all their worries — the impact of school closures on tight-knit neighborhood communities.

“Roosevelt is a school that is surrounded by affordable housing, if the school is pulled out of the community, the property value will go down,” said Kirsten Sullivan, Ames. “It is a diverse community. The closure will hurt the neighborhood, it will not be a desirable neighborhood.”

Richardson said the closures are necessary in order to meet budget cuts.

“We have been talking about school closures for seven years now,” he said. “Hopefully at some point in time there will be realization by community members in general that we don’t have a choice.”

President of the Ames School Board Gail Johnston said she would support the superintendent’s budget proposal only if she receives more information regarding the implementations of cuts for dean and counselor positions at the high school level, information on student population and additional $50,000 in administrative cuts.

“I think the quality of the city and what happens within the university and Ames schools are interrelated,” she said. “It’s important to focus on academic achievements and what’s best for the district.”

Several Ames community members have carefully analyzed the superintendent’s recommendations and have prepared a counter-proposal aimed at saving at least one of the schools.

According to the counter-proposal, closing Roosevelt would save $240,556, but it would require $40,000 more to bus kids to a different school in the district. Northwood Elementary School, located in the northern part of the district, is in close proximity to Meeker Elementary School and Fellow Elementary School. Since these three schools are close to each other, some Ames residents believe it makes more sense to close Northwood, instead of Roosevelt.

“If it was just about the kids, it wouldn’t be as big of a fight,” said Mary Jurenka, Ames.

“It affects whole neighborhoods.”

She said the superintendent did not spend enough time considering all possibilities before deciding to close two schools.

“There is not reason to close Roosevelt. There is money there,” Jurenka said. “I have dismay on part of the superintendent trying to rush this process without doing proportionate secondary studies, transportation studies and impact. He is in a hurry and we don’t know why.”

Changing to two whole-day kindergarten and adding sections of half-day kindergarten classes could save $50,000, she said. Jurenka said Channel 7 is a luxury and cutting it would save $56,000 and freezing administrative salaries would save $75,000.

Johnston said her main concern with the counter-proposal is whether it would be sustainable.

“I am not willing to make a decision and to only make it work for one year,” she said.

“We are in our fifth million dollar cut out of the budget in the last four years—any unneeded expenses were gone a long time ago.”

The board is scheduled to meet again at 6:30 p.m. Thursday at Ames Middle School to vote on the budget recommendations.