Market Street Elementary closes at year’s end

By JESSICA HARDIN

jhardin@vindy.com

BOARDMAN

Two weeks after hundreds of concerned residents filled the Boardman High School cafeteria with questions about the school district’s realignment plan, the board of education approved the proposal Monday night following only one public comment.

As a result, Market Street Elementary will close at the end of this year.

After announcing the plan Jan. 10, the district hosted an informational meeting Jan. 17 and posted on its website frequently asked questions about the plan’s logistics.

“That’s why we didn’t have 30 people here talking about, ‘I can’t believe you’re closing my school down,’” Jeff Barone, said school board president.

Per the plan, Boardman’s three elementary schools – Robinwood Lane, Stadium Drive and West Boulevard – will become K-3 buildings to accommodate incoming Market Street students. All fourth-graders will move to Center Intermediate School on Market Street, making Center a 4- to 6-grade building.

The closure is expected to save the district $500,000 each year off of its $45.9 million budget, starting this year.

The downsizing effort follows steadily declining enrollment and financial trouble that necessitated the passage of a 10-year, $5.8 million emergency levy in May.

In addition to answering logistical questions, the school board has been responding to the emotions of residents and parents surrounding the decision to close Market Street. 

“There were people in the audience that had a lump in their throat. There was a woman sitting in the back, her father was the first principal at Market Street ... This is hard stuff” said Barone.

The board will begin the task of executing the realignment plan at a workshop Feb. 19.

One of the most pressing questions that remains concerns the future of the property.

Terrance Esarco, a local substitute teacher, provided Monday’s sole public comment and voiced concern that a charter school will acquire the property.

“I’ve been a resident of Youngstown for 27 years. We’ve dealt with charter schools destroying the Youngstown school system ... It will cause another deficit in this budget,” Esarco said. 

Boardman Township has its eye on the property as well.

In a letter dated Jan. 15, township trustees asked the school board to consider donating the property to the ABC Water and Storm Water District.

The 12.7-acre property, which is in a floodplain, is already home to a 2.5-acre water retention system.

“The school building is a community asset owned by the citizens of Boardman and its vacancy should go back to assist the same community that has funded and supported it all these years,” the letter read.

The school board is considering donating a portion of the property to the storm water district and selling the remainder. 

Barone noted that the decision will be made with attention to future budgetary needs, such as the replacement of Center Intermediate School.

“The trustees understand that we have a fiduciary responsibility to provide the financing and the facilities to educate the students of Boardman ... But is there a way we can work together so it can be a win-win for the community? We’d sure like to do that,” said Barone.