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Silver Consolidated Schools board reviews feasibility study that favors closing two elementary campuses and explores grade‑banding
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Summary
The Silver Consolidated Schools Board discussed a district feasibility study that recommended closing 6th Street and Jose Barrios, and showed strong committee support for grade‑band configurations; the board emphasized community input and plans to decide in August.
The Silver Consolidated Schools Board of Education spent the July 22 work session reviewing a feasibility study that modeled enrollment, capacity and cost scenarios and produced an advisory poll favoring two campus closures and grade‑banding.
Superintendent William Hawkins said the feasibility team examined current and projected capacity, boundary options, and deferred‑maintenance costs before producing scenario tables and facilitating group polling. "The group of people in the room—educators, administrators and parents—overwhelmingly voted to close 6th Street and Jose Barrios," Hawkins said, reporting the committee poll showed roughly 89% agreement for that scenario. He emphasized the committee vote was advisory, not a formal board decision.
Hawkins and board members discussed grade‑banding as an alternative to the traditional neighborhood‑school model. Hawkins described grade‑banding as common in other New Mexico districts and said the committee’s educators favored it because it allows concentrating resources and staff, though members also flagged practical concerns such as additional student travel and traffic at drop‑off points. "There will be a bump or two," Hawkins said, urging planning for transportation and initial congestion.
Board members repeatedly stressed the importance of community engagement before any final action. One board member noted that the committee meetings included only about 30 people and asked for broad outreach so the district can assess parental support. Hawkins said the board could keep boundary work parallel to a grade‑banding discussion so families who wish to remain at their current campus would have options where feasible.
The superintendent said operating and capital consequences would follow a consolidation decision: playground and kindergarten facility changes, possible PSCOC (Public School Capital Outlay Council) requests for design adjustments, and other capital steps. Hawkins said the board expects to make a formal decision in August and that his office will return to PSCOC with final documents if consolidation is chosen.
The board did not take action at the July meeting. Members reiterated that the 2025–26 school year will open under current configurations and that any transition would be phased with community outreach, schedule checks and steps to preserve classroom stability.
Next steps: Board members asked administration to continue community outreach, verify transportation impacts, and provide formal options and timelines ahead of an anticipated August vote.
