[speedgibson] Speed Gibson: Osseo Elementary Closes

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Posted by Speed Gibson:
Osseo Elementary Closes
http://speedgibson.powerblogs.com/posts/1212805492.shtml


   As part of District 279's budget cutting, two of its 19 elementary
   schools have now closed, including the Osseo Elementary. Like
   Robbinsdale, tiny Osseo somehow became the anchor of the fifth largest
   public school district in Minnesota. Besides Osseo, it covers all or a
   portion of Brooklyn Center, Brooklyn Park, Corcoran, Dayton, Hassan,
   Maple Grove, Osseo, and Plymouth.
   Despite passing one of three Referendums this past November, the
   District has had to cut $16.3 million. Closing Osseo and Edgewood
   together contributes about $800 thousand toward that total, about 5
   percent. It also will eliminate nearly $2 million of maintenance
   projects, but that's a separate account.
   Unlike the Robbinsdale District 281 schools, the 279 Board followed
   through on their "threat" to close schools if the referendums didn't
   pass. There's something to be said for doing what you said you would
   do. But there's also something to be said for rethinking this like 281
   did, at least deferring the school closing question a year while it
   completed its strategic planning process.
   In both cases, these school closings really don't make much of a dent
   against the total reductions required, especially for Osseo. I've
   asked this question before: why would you risk your most powerful bond
   with the community for such a small amount? Five percent?
   Yes, Osseo Elementary opened in 1954, making it one of the area's
   oldest schools. That and declining enrollments mean that there
   obviously was some date in the near future when this landmark would
   have to close. We could wish for at least a more natural end.
   Yes, we could wish it wasn't part of the continuing migration out of
   the inner ring suburbs, skewing the district demography and geography.
   Yes, we could wish that rather than simply close that it be reborn,
   rebuilt like Forest Elementary in Crystal (281) or Earle Brown
   Elementary (286).
   But this die is cast, and now all that's left are the memories.