Gordonville, Millersville elementary schools to close after failure of Prop T

The Jackson School District sent letters Tuesday, April 9, to parents whose children attend Gordonville and Millersville elementary schools, announcing their closures at the end of the school year.

District officials say the decision to close the two schools stems from the April 2 failure of voters to pass Proposition T — along with the failure to pass Props I and N in 2023 — which would have implemented a $0.47 property tax increase per $100 of assessed valuation to increase salaries for teachers and aid staff recruitment and retention. The measure was voted down by Cape Girardeau County residents 3,727 to 3,131, including a 248-218 "no" vote from Gordonville residents and a 154-63 "no" vote from Millersville residents.

According to superintendent Scott Smith, the decision to close the schools was "difficult."

"Obviously, it did not pass this year, resulting in that we are going to have to make some very difficult financial decisions to keep up with our financial obligations that we have as a district," Smith said. "Just like any other business, we have continued to see increases in the cost of running our business. It takes extra money to do that, and one of those pieces is staff. With that, at last night’s board meeting, we presented to the board several different options for them to consider as far as how they would like to go through. We know that in order to give a cost of living increase, we’re going to have to make some significant cuts to the district. At last night’s board meeting, several things were presented once again, and with that, one of the bigger things that was taken into consideration was the closing of Millersville and Gordonville schools.

"A lot of the options that were presented — we’ve been hearing from the public and from the community things to consider — and that’s what was presented to the board. The board decided to enter a lot of conversations and dialogue, and we’ve been looking at and evaluating what’s going on."

According to Smith, an average of 39 students attend both Gordonville and Millersville schools. Students who currently go to Millersville will move to West Lane Elementary in Jackson next year, while Gordonville students will attend South Elementary. Smith was adamant that no staff members from the schools would be let go, and that any budget cuts regarding staff will be made through attrition. There are three certified teachers at both Gordonville and Millersville, as well as some support staff for each school, Smith said.

"Millersville and Gordonville, they’re kindergarten through second grade buildings, currently," Smith said. "Once these students reach third grade they would go to West Lane or South anyway. Now, they’re just going to start in kindergarten."

Closing the schools in Gordonville and Millersville will free up $953,100.65 in the district’s budget, Smith said. However, the school district needs to cut approximately $2 million to balance the budget. No other cost-cutting measures have been announced.

"We’re going to continue to review all of the programs throughout the district," Smith said. "The board was presented with a list of several things that they’re considering that they’ve asked for additional information on."

The school district had listed closure of both elementary schools as a possibility in 2023 when Props I and N failed, along with several other potential cuts.

The following communication from Jackson school district was sent to parents/guardians of students attending the affected elementary schools:

Dear Millersville and Gordonville families,

You may be aware that Proposition T failed last week along with Propositions I + N last school year. As mentioned previously, major adjustments within the district would have to be considered without the passage of those propositions in order to meet financial obligations. The difficult decision has been made to consolidate elementary schools, closing Millersville and Gordonville Elementary Schools.

Starting in the 2024-2025 school year, students that attend Millersville Elementary currently will attend West Lane Elementary and students that attend Gordonville Elementary currently will attend South Elementary. As you know, students already transition to those buildings after second grade. Students are familiar with those respective schools, and we hope this will make the transition easier for all involved. Teachers and staff members at Millersville and Gordonville will be given the opportunity to work in town at another elementary school.

While we know that change is never easy, we will work together with you and your student to make this transition as smooth as possible. Our buildings will host open houses and back to school events at West Lane and South to familiarize you and your student to the building. We will also work with the current staff at Millersville and Gordonville to make sure the process meets the needs of your students.

Millersville and Gordonville have a sentimental part of history in the Jackson R-2 School District. We assure you that this decision was not made lightly as we know the importance of a local school in the neighborhood where people live. However, with each building having an average of 39 students, we feel that we can accommodate the needs of these students in town and help with cost saving measures while providing the quality education every student deserves.

Please don’t hesitate to reach out with any questions.

Sincerely,

Dr. Scott Smith, Superintendent

Ms. Shanna Wilson, Millersville Principal and West Lane Assistant Principal

Mrs. Shauna Criddle, Gordonville Principal and East Elementary Assistant Principal