Fate of Ocheyedan school up in air

Talk about it

OCHEYEDAN, Iowa — Members of the Sibley-Ocheyedan School Board have about a month to decide the fate of Ocheyedan’s only public school.

Closing the Ocheyedan Center, one of the few remaining schools in the nation to house solely fourth-grade students, could save the district nearly $104,000. But some community members have spoken out against the idea.

“It’s an emotional issue and that’s what makes the decision a difficult one,” said board chairperson Kyle Grimes.

The decision will be made in a role call vote at the board’s April 20 meeting.

“Right now we’re still in the information gathering and discussion process,” reported Grimes. “We’ve been spending since December trying to obtain information and having people ask as many questions as possible.”

If the idea meets with approval, the district’s 56 fourth-graders would likely attend Ben Franklin Elementary in Sibley this fall.

Community members attended the second of two public meetings on the subject Monday, raising questions about whether there would be enough space in the Sibley building to house additional fourth graders, especially those with special needs.

District Superintendent Jeff Herzberg responded that special education rooms would not be overcrowded, and that other space issues would be addressed.

He presented a list of the educational ‘pros’ and ‘cons’ of closing the building, and the findings of his research.

According to the minutes of the meeting, he polled teachers and professional educators from Drake and the University of Northern Iowa and contacted administrators of other single-grade buildings in Iowa.

Grimes said the meeting gave him no strong feeling as to whether the community supported or opposed the measure overall.

“I did not really get a sentiment from the crowd. We were just making sure they had all the information that they wanted. The meetings were set up to be informational,” he said. “The decision will be based on what’s in the best interest for all kids.”

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