Parents, community members criticize Parkside closure; superintendent offers to facilitate reunions

Community members urged the Rockford Board of Education on Monday to address fallout from the board’s recent decision to close Parkside Elementary, saying the move has caused confusion and distress for students and families.

Several residents used the meeting’s public-comment period to press the board. Mike McIntosh, a community member and member of organized Parkside, said the district’s process was rushed and asked the board to make meeting materials available earlier. “I called today for the meeting packet and was told that it is available around noon or so, the day of the meeting,” McIntosh said, adding that parents needed more time to review proposals.

Emily Whelan, who identified herself as a parent, said the closure left children “heartbroken” and described the strain of escorting students through transition activities. “The board made the decision, but families like mine have to live with the aftermath, the tears, the confusion, the disruption of routines and friendships,” she said. Whelan said Parkside students who visited Valley View on a recent school day returned emotionally drained and that extracurricular opportunities felt diminished because of larger crowds on new fields.

Jason Peterson, another local resident, praised the board for preserving a district policy last winter and urged it to adopt a policy recognizing parental authority on certain student-care decisions. His remarks criticized procedures the district has followed in other areas and urged clearer limits on school staff authority.

Superintendent Mark Matthews responded to remarks about Parkside, saying district staff are trying to create transition opportunities for Parkside and Valley View students. Matthews said he was at Valley View on the day Parkside students visited and that staff “were trying to create some connections” and observed “lots of smiling faces and engaged students.” He said the district can work with community members to arrange a reunion for Parkside families and alumni.

The board did not take a new vote on Parkside at Monday’s meeting. Board members and administrators said they would continue planning for the schools’ consolidation timeline and noted upcoming activities — including a Parkside carnival and end-of-year events — the district expects families to continue to access.

The public-comment speakers and the superintendent’s reply reflected ongoing tensions in the community over the closure and indicate the district will attempt outreach and relationship-building in the coming weeks.