AMERICAN FORK — The Alpine School District voted this week to pause the closure studies for Lindon, Windsor and Lehi elementary schools without taking a final vote on the closures — meaning all three schools will remain open.

The latest chapter in the saga comes after a parent-led lawsuit filed against the district and its leaders, sharp criticism from state lawmakers and the closure of Sharon and Valley View elementary schools last month.

The vote to stop the closure study for Lehi Elementary, 765 N. Center Street, passed unanimously, while the vote to halt the study of closing Lindon Elementary, 30 N. Main, and Windsor Elementary, 1315 N. Main in Orem, passed by a narrow margin of 4-3.

"Whatever we do tonight, you need to be aware that the needs (to close) are still there and action will still have to happen at some point," said Sara Hacken, the president of the board. "If not tonight, then when and how? Whatever decision is made, we're not done."

Superintendent Shane Farnsworth said the decision to pause the closure study of Lehi Elementary was due to growth in the surrounding areas the district wants to monitor to determine whether another school needs to be built.

In the case of Lindon and Windsor elementary schools, Farnsworth said the decision to pause the closure study had to do with "complicating variables" related to the distribution of Dual Language Immersion programs across the district.

"As we look at that study and the equitable distribution of DLI programs across the district ... once that study is concluded and we have a recommendation, that will take away some of the complicating variables associated with this closure," Farnsworth said.

While the decision was made to conclude the formal closure studies for all three schools without taking action, several board members expressed their discontent with closing the studies.

"I am not comfortable at this time in concluding the study and closing it because I feel that we still do have some issues ongoing, particularly with facing declining enrollment and looking for solid solutions, and I'm not supportive at this time of closing the study," board member Julie King said.

A day after the meeting, King posted to her Facebook page, saying: "We don't need to close 5 schools. We need to close 10."

"There is never a good time to close schools. Board member elections are every 2 years and then there are bonds and potentially a reconfiguration that may be on a ballot next year. But whether or not a reconfiguration happens, we still need to address issues. And that means closing schools and building schools," King's post said.

In May, the board voted unanimously to begin studying the reconfiguration of the district — the biggest in Utah.

Board member Mark Clement told KSL in May that the vote to look at a possible reconfiguration is based on what he feels is "tension" in the district. Although the district has flirted with potential reconfigurations since 2004, Clement said the recent trajectory of the district is signaling change may be necessary.

Related:

Amid 'tension' in Alpine School District, board votes to study potential district reconfiguration

Alpine School District's board of education has voted unanimously to begin a study into reconfiguring the biggest district in the Beehive State.

"More recently, it is becoming increasingly apparent that there are different needs in different parts of the district," Clement said.

In the rapidly growing west side of the district, Clement said there is a need for new schools and residents are "kind of demanding" a faster building schedule. At the same time, Clement said schools on the east side of the district are facing declining enrollment, and residents there want to keep their small schools.

However, Hacken said that due to the failure of a proposed $595 million bond, the district's ability to renovate aging schools and build new ones has been greatly hampered.

"Without a bond, which we needed, we can't take care of those needs in a timely fashion," Hacken said. "It will take us years to take care of these needs. They are still there. Schools are still getting old, schools are still growing, the needs haven't gone away, and so we have to look at all kinds of other ways to meet those needs, and it is difficult. It's gut-wrenching."

The board didn't specify when the study of closing these schools would be revisited and calls with the district's spokesman were not immediately returned Friday.

Alicia Alba, one of 33 plaintiffs behind the lawsuit aimed at halting the district's study of closing the schools, said the group is "filled with gratitude and hope" following Tuesday's decision to pause the studies.

Alba added the lawsuit was withdrawn, saying it served its purpose.

"It protected schools and programs from being closed through an illegal process. It made it so Alpine School District's actions will not stand as precedent, and so they will (hopefully) follow the law when future closures are considered. It also led legislators to actively clarify the law and the Utah State Board of Education's oversight duty role (so) parents never again have to seek enforcement through the courts when USBE already has this responsibility," Alba said.

"We hope Alpine School District will be committed to better communication, transparency and governance going forward, and that they will work toward a successful reconfiguration so as to better meet the needs of our various communities," Alba said.

Related topics