BEDFORD – After failing to receive a second vote during the February 22nd meeting, North Lawrence Community Schools voted to keep Oolitic Middle School open.
Superintendent Dr. Ty Mungle and NLCS Director of Learning Maggie Dainton addressed the board on the research behind the proposed consolidation, as well as the opportunities to allow students in NLCS to have the best opportunity to attend the electives and extracurricular activities that would be provided at Bedford Middle School.
“The goal of NLCS has been to provide each student the best opportunity in each school, starting in elementary school,” said Dr. Mungle. “The proposal to consolidate OMS would allow Junior High School, aged students, in the NLCS School Corporation the best chance at taking the classes that aren’t readily available at OMS, due to a lack of students in each activity and a lack of teachers. This move is, and has been about the students.”
Echoing what Dr. Mungle said, Dainton believes that approving this proposal would allow for the best opportunity for each student.
“(Consolidating OMS) is a difficult decision. Growing programs is not the problem at the school, but the number of students available to fill each program. We are trying to offer each student in NLCS the best opportunity to have the same possibilities as one another.
The move was in an attempt to be ahead of the curve by having the ability to ensure each student would be able to take whatever program they want.
“This move would allow a proactive approach to a need, rather than reactive. By moving the students to Bedford Middle School, we can plan for each program in advance, rather than the possibility of potential students transferring and not having enough room in the programs they want to be a part of.”
After the comments made by Dr. Mungle and Ms. Dainton, a motion was made to consolidate Oolitic Middle School and seconded. The motion was then voted on and denied in a 5-2 vote leaving Oolitic Middle School open for the 2022-2023 school year.
Board members Jeff Lambrecht, Kirsten Collier, Trent Todd, Kamal Girgis, and Wendy Miller voted against, with board members Bryce Bennett and Tracy Bailey voting in favor of consolidation.
