Summit Hill Elementary District 161 discusses closing, shifting district buildings after 10-year enrollment drop of 936 students
Summit Hill Elementary District 161 officials are discussing options to address its school buildings amid a decades long decrease in enrollment.
The district is considering neighborhood schools, grade centers, redrawing attendance boundaries and redistributing grade levels, said Superintendent Paul McDermott.
The school board’s Buildings and Grounds Usage Committee discussed facilities and enrollment data Oct, 4, said board President Jim Martin.
“Change is never easy,” Martin said at the meeting. “Enrollment is and has been the driving factor in determining our facility needs.”
The district will hold hearings on possible closures of Indian Trail School, Frankfort Square School and Arbury Hills School during its Buildings and Grounds Usage Committee meetings at 6:30 p.m. Nov. 7 and Nov. 29, and at its regular board meetings at 7 p.m. on Nov. 15 and Dec. 20. All meetings are at the district’s office, 20100 S. Spruce Drive, Frankfort.
The hearings are titled “possible school closure” as required by state law, McDermott said, but there will be an opportunity for the community and board to discuss options.
“It’s going to be an opportunity to further the discussion,” McDermott said.
The district’s enrollment has decreased by 936 students overall from the 2012-2013 school year to this school year, according to district data:
• Arbury Hills School in Mokena, which has capacity for 456 students, saw enrollment decrease from 262 to 187 students.
• Dr. Julian Rogus School in Frankfort, with capacity for 1,112 students, saw enrollment drop from 810 to 631 students.
• Frankfort Square School in Frankfort, which has capacity for 426 students, saw enrollment drop from 239 to 168 students.
• Hilda Walker School in Tinley Park, with capacity for 1,092 students, saw a drop from 786 to 527 students.
• Indian Trail School in Frankfort, with capacity for 648 students, saw a drop in enrollment from 464 to 301 students.
• Summit High Junior High School in Frankfort, with capacity for 1,250 students, saw enrollment decrease from 808 to 619 students.
The Mary Drew School in Frankfort, the former junior high school, is still owned by the district and houses district programing scheduled outside of school hours and park district programing, McDermott said. The building has a capacity for 690 students and 23 classrooms, according to district data, so it’s something for district officials to consider, he said.
At the end of the school year, 322 eighth grade students will graduate, according to district data, while 216 kindergarten students begin at the district this year, so enrollment will continue to decrease, McDermott said.
McDermott said district officials will start addressing the district’s priorities and then determine which option best achieves the priorities.
“When you see a drop off nearly 1,000 students over 10 plus years, it’s a compelling reason to look at the education of the community you serve,” McDermott said. “Absent declining enrollment, this wouldn’t be a conversation we’d have.”
