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Harlem UD 122 board approves closure of two elementary schools amid community concern over communication and safety
Summary
The Harlem Consolidated School District board approved the closure of Maple Elementary and Olsen Park Elementary to consolidate schools. Public commenters urged alternative partnerships, criticized communication about a December bus safety incident, and board members asked for continued community engagement and implementation planning.
The Harlem Consolidated School District board voted to close Maple Elementary School and Olsen Park Elementary as part of a district consolidation plan, approving the motion by voice vote during its meeting.
Board President Sterling called for a motion to approve the building closures and, after a second, board members responded in the affirmative and the motion carried. The board then discussed which consolidation option to pursue, with several members expressing support for 'Option 1' as the most fiscally defensible and best positioned to serve the largest number of students; one member said they preferred 'Option 4.'
The vote followed a string of public comments. John King, who spoke during the public comment period, said the district was "in debt" by $3,000,000 and framed that figure as roughly $175 per household based on a cited count of about 16,800 households, urging the board to "think outside the box" and seek business partnerships and community-led committees rather than closing schools. "For $175 a household, we can keep the 2 schools open," King said.
Michelle Lord, identified earlier in the meeting as curriculum and instruction staff, urged the board to prioritize students and recommended the 'sister school' option as the configuration that "allows us to utilize the most resources to meet the most needs" and better position the district to improve Illinois Academic Report (IAR) scores.
Another public speaker, Jeremy Henson, criticized the district's communication after an incident he said occurred on Dec. 10 involving a younger child on a bus. Henson said families beyond the route directly affected were not adequately notified and tied the safety concern to longer bus rides and younger children being on buses without older peer supervision—issues he said would be exacerbated by some consolidation scenarios. "Communication, communication, communication," Henson said, urging the board to put safety first.
Administration framed the immediate decision as a buildings-closure vote, with additional discussion and consensus-building to follow about which consolidation option to implement. After the closures were approved, board members asked administration to provide formal implementation options and timelines and to continue soliciting community feedback via email and public reports.
Before adjourning to an executive session request, the chair asked for a motion to go into executive session to discuss employment of personnel under 5 ILCS 120/2(c)(1); a motion and second were recorded on the record, but the transcript ends before a recorded roll-call or voice vote on the executive-session motion.
Meeting documents and the district's study materials (including the utilization study referenced by board members) were discussed as the basis for the recommendation but were not read into the record during the vote. The board said it would return with more detailed plans and asked the community to remain engaged as the district moves into the implementation phase.
