Estimated read time: 3-4 minutes
- Parents and students at Lomond View Elementary in Weber County, focus of a closure study, have lobbied hard to keep it open.
- On Wednesday, about 70 people lauded the school for four hours at a hearing.
- Weber School District is one of several, including the Granite, Salt Lake and Ogden systems, that has wrestled with the specter of school closures.
PLEASANT VIEW, Weber County — As Weber School District officials study whether to shutter Lomond View School in Pleasant View, parents of the students at the school and the kids themselves have pursued every lead in trying to prevent its closure.
Parents crafted a 23-page report outlining their arguments why the school should be kept open, they've sought support from other elected officials and they've bombarded school board members with messages. At a hearing Wednesday night, a stream of around 70 people, including parents and students, addressed school officials for four hours, making the case to keep the school open, frequently with heartfelt passion.
"I love Lomond View so much. On a scale of one to 10, Lomond View is definitely a 10," said a third-grader.
A mom and grandma of students at the school touted the "nurturing" character of Lomond View. "My children love Lomond View. My grandchildren love Lomond View and I love Lomond View," she said.
Utah Rep. Jake Sawyer, R-Ogden, is one of several elected officials Lomond View parents have courted and he thinks district officials should hold off on acting until they can more thoroughly study the issue. He was also at Wednesday's hearing.
The impact of the fierce lobbying campaign, however, remains to be seen. The Weber School Board is to formally consider Lomond View's future and whether to close the school on Dec. 3. Either way, Lane Findlay, the district spokesman, praised their efforts.
"They've been very passionate and provided a lot of great feedback and information," he said.
Gina Butters, the district superintendent, also lauded parents and their involvement in an email on Monday, which was also sent to KSL.com. But she didn't give a hint of what's to come.
"We must continue to steward all of our school communities while we strive to conduct this study with integrity and care. We appreciate your passion and dedication to the Lomond View community," she wrote.
Weber School District officials in September authorized a study to determine whether Lomond View should remain open. It's one of the oldest schools in the district, built in 1959, operates at about half its capacity and needs perhaps $3 million or more in upgrades. With declining enrollment in schools in the area, school officials have said Lomond View students could be shifted to two other area schools, Orchard Springs or North Ogden schools, also operating below capacity.
Findlay noted that many other public school systems in Utah have had to wrestle with school closures given declining enrollment, including the Granite, Ogden and Salt Lake districts. Moreover, Weber School District officials plan to review other schools in the district going forward with an eye to possibly closing or consolidating facilities.
Lomond View parents, however, question whether declining student enrollment in the Pleasant View area will be permanent and ask for officials to hold off on a decision on whether to close and consider other possibilities.
"A deferral of closure would allow time for a districtwide, data-driven facilities study to evaluate enrollment, infrastructure and academic performance comprehensively and equitably. Upgrading Lomond View costs less than half the price per square foot of new construction and can be achieved in stages," reads the study prepared by the Lomond View proponents.
Beyond that, parents note the relatively high scores students get on standardized tests compared to neighboring schools and other kids around the state and the sense of community in the school. Around 100 parents are involved in the effort to keep Lomond View from shutting, said Olivia Andrew, who's involved in the effort.
"This has been the most well-organized, collaborative effort I've ever been a part of. Every parent cares so deeply," she said.
