School board talks long-range plan for middle schools

By Leah Rainwater

School board members came together for a work session Monday night, continuing discussions on the long-range plan and the future of St. Joseph schools.

Superintendent Gabe Edgar presented the new middle school model from the long-range plan to St. Joseph Board of Education members and others in attendance.

The objective of the long-term plan would be to build two new high schools. One located in the south and the other in the north of St. Joseph.

Approval of the new schools would also mean realigning boundaries in the community. This, in turn, would include reconfiguring the new middle school model and “right-sizing” elementary schools.

By the April 2025 school board election, voters will be asked to approve a bond issue to build one new high school.

If approved, the district will begin the building process for a new high school in 2026.

It would also align boundaries, reconfigure middle schools to serve sixth through eighth grade and right-size elementary schools.

If rejected by voters, one high school would then be closed. Boundaries would still be aligned, middle schools would still be reconfigured and elementary schools would still be right-sized.

The plan for the future schools would be to have Coleman Elementary, Edison Elementary, Lindbergh Elementary, Oak Grove Elementary and Robidoux Elementary feed into Lafayette Middle School.

Lafayette would feed into what would be called “North High School.”

Carden Park Elementary, Hosea Elementary, Parkway Elementary, Skaith Elementary and Spring Garden Elementary would feed into Benton/Hyde Middle School.

Benton/Hyde Middle School would eventually feed into “South High School.”

According to a draft of the long-range plan, the goal of this plan would foster innovative learning environments, provide more academic access and opportunity for curriculum, retain and recruit staff and create a better workplace for teachers and staff.

District leaders also say right-sizing makes financial sense for the schools and would be fiscally responsible.

Edgar said the city needs to look at the plan as a whole.

“There’s a lot of history, there’s a lot of character. There’s a lot of different things that go into that,” Edgar said.

During the work session, Edgar noted that a survey will be sent out to all staff involved at the middle school level, in terms of the grade-level model.