Russell keeps Ruppenthal, district office may move
RUSSELL, Kan. (KSNW) — Russell USD 407 is still looking for ways to reduce operating costs, but closing the Ruppenthal building is no longer on the table.
The building will stay open, however the middle school students will still be sent to other district schools.
Dr. Joyce Ellis, USD 407 Board of Education president, said seventh- and eighth-grade students will be sent to Russell High School, and sixth-grade students will attend Bickerdyke Elementary School.
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The school district had a public hearing and meeting on the topic on Monday.
Ruppenthal is the district’s oldest building. It was built in 1938 and is where Senator Bob Dole attended high school.
“It may serve another purpose, such as housing the district office and alternative school,” Superintendent Jordan Perez told KSN News. “At the next Board of Education meeting, the board will discuss the potential closing of the District Office. A hearing will also be held.”
The public hearing on the proposal to close the USD 407 District Office will be on Feb. 12 at 5:15 p.m. at the District Office Building, 802 N. Main Street.
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Perez said the district’s enrollment has dropped by more than 100 since 2019, affecting the budget.
He says closing the district office would help USD 407 become more efficient and fiscally sound.
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