School Board Considering New Role for Harding Elementary Building

The school board announced on Friday that it will consider recommendations to repurpose the Harding Elementary building to be used for administrative purposes and as a new Alternative School building. This decision would move all current students from the Harding neighborhood into the three other district elementary schools.

Administrators say these changes come as a result of declining enrollment numbers across the district and work toward a goal to make use of existing resources. 

In an email to district staff and families last Friday, District Superintendent Pat Hamilton laid out two possible outlines for the reconfiguration, which were proposed by educational planning firm RSP and Associates.

By the first option, Harding students would filter into Jefferson or Hoover Elementaries, and some students from Jefferson or Hoover would move to Roosevelt Elementary. 

The second plan would set aside Hoover Elementary for kindergarten and preschool students, while all first-through fourth-grade students would attend Jefferson or Roosevelt. 

Both plans dictate that the Harding Elementary Building would be used for an Alternative Learning Center, including the Alternative High School, Pinecrest Center, and other potential special programs. 

Hamilton cited declining enrollment numbers as a major cause for the change. “Mason City, along with much of northern Iowa and the state as a whole, is seeing a decline in student enrollments,” he said. 

This is in part due to Mason City’s established aging population. With fewer and fewer families in the child-bearing age group, fewer children are enrolled in school. 

State funding is determined by enrollment numbers, and the state of Iowa projects a continued decline in statewide enrollment over the next five years. 

According to Hamilton, school districts usually spend about 80% of their annual budget on expenses related to employee compensation. “To retain as many staff members as possible, the district needs to find ways to become more efficient with the funding available,” said Hamilton. 

The school board, following the recommendations of RSP and Associates, determined that closing an elementary building was the best way to maximize building usage. 

Specializing in enrollment projections and facility studies, RSP and Associates has an accuracy rating of 97% in their projections of enrollment and has worked with many schools across Iowa and the Midwest. “The rationale for utilizing RSP to develop potential solutions is that they are independent and do not have emotional ties to the school district,” said Hamilton. 

This decision is not without drawbacks. In his email to families and staff, Hamilton acknowledged challenges involving staffing, transportation, and facility adjustments. 

MCCSD families will be given the opportunity to provide input and feedback over the coming weeks at Listening Sessions hosted by the district.

“Whenever a proposal for change is introduced, it’s natural for people to question its necessity and how it will affect them or their families,” said Hamilton. He encourages families to attend the listening sessions with any questions or concerns. 

The district’s primary goal with the reconfiguration is to provide the best possible learning experience for MCCSD students. “Regardless of the decision the board ultimately makes, they will strive to prioritize the best interests of Mason City’s students both now and in the future,” said Hamilton.