RAYMOND — Raymond Central Public Schools would consolidate its two elementary schools in Valparaiso and Ceresco under a bond resolution that will go before its Board of Education later this month.
The resolution, which the board will consider March 15, would put a $40 million bond issue before voters to consolidate the schools into a new central pre-K-6 elementary school next to the existing junior/senior high school.
Some parents, however, have voiced concerns about shuttering the two schools, which they say are core to the respective identities of the two Saunders County communities.
If the bond resolution is passed, an election would be held this spring, Superintendent Lynn Johnson said. The election would be conducted via mail-in ballots with election day likely in May.
The proposed 62,000-square-foot elementary school would be built to the south of the high school and feature a competition gym. The bond would also pay for renovations at the high school targeting areas including career and technical education, science and special education.
Officials say the new school would help address capacity issues in Ceresco, replace aging facilities and centralize the district into one campus.
Located northwest of Lincoln, Raymond Central lies in the geographic center of the Lancaster and Saunders County communities it serves, including Agnew, Ceresco, Davey, Raymond and Valparaiso. The district has about 730 students.
"I think it would be a game-changer," Board President Brad Breitkreutz said. "This would bring everybody together. We could truly be a Raymond Central community."
Discussions about a potential bond began in earnest in 2019, Breitkreutz said. The district eventually contracted with Lincoln-based BVH Architecture to draft potential options, including remodeling the existing schools or even constructing a new high school.
The district held a number of patron meetings and eventually landed on a proposal to build a new, consolidated elementary school. Sixth graders would move to the building under the plan, freeing up needed room in the existing junior high space, officials say.
"The key factor is the education of our elementary (students) and our ability to be a lot more efficient by being able to be on one campus," said Johnson, who added the plan would cut back on staff travel.
But some parents in both Valparaiso and Ceresco oppose the plan, arguing consolidation goes against the small-town identities of the communities.
Sydnee Scheinost, who has two children who attend Ceresco Elementary, said the school is one of the main reasons young parents move to town. She said closing the school would hurt the community.
"It's very sad," said Scheinost, who is part of "Save our Schools," a group of parents in the two towns who oppose the district's plan. The group's signs now dot the yards of houses across the two communities.
"I've been through the process of merging schools, having to move to a different location," Scheinost said. "I've seen the aftereffects on the town. It falls apart."
In November, the Village of Ceresco Board of Trustees passed a resolution to oppose removing the elementary school, saying it would strike at the heart of the town's identity and negatively impact businesses. Scheinost said a similar resolution is in the works in Valparaiso.Â
"Everybody's wondering what does that do to our library, what does that do to our grocery store," said Toni Rupe, chair of the Ceresco village board, who added that families move to town expecting to send their children to a school within walking distance -- not miles away. "It's a little scary when you're used to being in a small town."
Ceresco Elementary, home to about 140 students, was built in 2000, but officials say poor original construction has left it in need of upgrades. Valparaiso's school, which has about 150 students, was first built in 1923 with additions tacked on over the years. More than 40 preschool students are housed at the central site.
Johnson said she understands the parents' concerns, but argued that instead of driving families away, a new facility would bring more students to Raymond Central and make it more competitive when it comes to staffing. She pointed to the growth of the Norris School District south of Lincoln, which has all grade levels on one campus.
"Nobody has a crystal ball, but there are certainly indicators a more robust school," would drive enrollment growth, Johnson said.
The centralized school would be able to hold three sections per grade level and host high school events at its competition gym. The school would also pave a new parking lot with 350 stalls.
If the bond passes, work could wrap up in two to three years, said officials. The exact impact on the district's tax levy is still being calculated.
Rupe said tentative plans for the Ceresco elementary school if it were to close vary, but she knows the village would not be able to afford to buy it. She's heard talk of a senior living facility and even apartments.
But first it will be up to the school board to pass a resolution -- and then for the voters to decide.
"(The village board) has done what we can essentially do," Rupe said. "Ultimately, it's not up to us."
Voters in the Raymond Central school district could determine the future of elementary schools in Ceresco (shown here) and Valparaiso next year. A bond issue, if approved, would consolidate elementary classrooms at a new building next to the junior/senior high school.