Have ideas on how the Tacoma School District can avoid closing elementary schools?

Or how about a plan to combine schools to improve instruction and cause the least pain to families?

Community members have until June 30 to submit suggestions to the district under a recently developed “school consolidation” timeline.

Last month, the district cooled this winter’s heated discussion on school closure by delaying the decision a year.

District officials now are considering whether to close two elementary schools at the end of the 2006-07 school year due to decreasing enrollment and budget shortfalls caused by the decline.

Under a suggested timeline prepared by Superintendent Jim Shoemake, the district would hold a public forum sometime in July to share ideas on closure alternatives or proposals on how to close or combine schools.

The forum also would go over the recommendations of an advisory committee that last month suggested six schools from which the board could choose to close or combine.

The schools, in order of the most votes received by the committee, were: Grant (28 votes), Washington-Hoyt (24), Downing (16), McKinley (16), Roosevelt (15) and Wainwright (15).

The board could decide to close a school not on the list or might decide against shuttering any school.

District staff would spend August researching the proposals, then present the proposals and impacts to the advisory consolidation committee in September. After holding a public forum in October, the board would select schools for possible closure on Nov. 9. The board would decide in February which, if any, schools to close.

Board members generally agreed with the timeline at their meeting Thursday night, but wanted a specific date set for the July forum to ensure notification to parents before summer break.

Board members had originally planned to shut down two schools at the end of this school year. They decided last month to delay closures for a year amid calls from the public to postpone the decision and look at alternatives to closure.

They also wanted to focus on passing the district’s four-year levy, which provides more than 22 percent of the district’s operating budget. The levy failed in February. Officials have said they might have to again consider closing schools if the levy fails a second time April 25; the loss would trigger cuts of more than $43 million next school year.

Despite the Valentine’s Day announcement that closures would be postponed, community members have mobilized – especially parents at the schools recommended for closure.

 • A group of parents from throughout the district, calling themselves United Action Tacoma, has met every-other Saturday at 4 p.m. at Tacoma’s Main Library. The group is developing alternatives to closure and advocates a fair, open process if schools must be closed.

 • Parents at 369-student Washington-Hoyt Elementary have erected yard signs, put up posters and ordered T-shirts that read: “Save Historic Washington-Hoyt … Don’t mess with success.” They’re circulating petitions to keep the century-old school open. They’re investigating whether the school can be placed on a historic register and searching for grants for an elevator that would make the building handicapped-accessible. Their Web site includes sample letters and talking points to use in contacting district leaders.

“The size of the school has grown and the district projects we’ll grow even more,” said Laurie Hunger, Washington-Hoyt PTA president. “We have people from all over the city putting their kids here. It’s a school that’s working.”

 • More than 100 parents and staff members from Grant Center for the Expressive Arts met with board members and district representatives March 2 to discuss the possibility of merging their school with Jefferson Elementary School. They voted to form a task force of Jefferson and Grant parents and arts representatives to propose how 335-student Grant, located in an aging building, could move to Jefferson, a new building with capacity for more than its 163 students.

“I think what most parents want is for the arts model to continue,” said Grant PTA co-president Kevin Glackin-Coley.

 • Parents at Downing have turned their energy to passing the levy, said Downing PTA President Patty Irish, who’s also a district teacher’s assistant. They fear students across the district would lose music, library, and gifted programs, after-school activities and athletics and other services.

HOW TO GET INVOLVED

 • The Tacoma School District will accept written proposals through June 30 regarding alternatives to closing schools or suggestions on how to close or consolidate schools. Proposals can be e-mailed to rmunson@tacoma.k12.wa.us.

 • To read the School Consolidation Advisory Committee meeting minutes and data the committee reviewed, go to: www.tacoma.k12.wa.us.

Debby Abe: 253-597-8694

debby.abe@thenewstribune.com