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Pocatello speakers urge board to halt planned elementary closures; public hearings set for January
Summary
Parents, teachers and neighborhood advocates pressed the Pocatello School District 25 board to keep Tendoy and Washington elementary schools open, citing neighborhood cohesion, student safety and academic growth; the board scheduled public hearings in January and said it will not consider action until February.
Hundreds of residents, educators and local planners told the Pocatello School District 25 board on Monday that proposed elementary-school closures and boundary changes would damage neighborhood schools and community cohesion.
At the public-comment portion, Stephanie Powers, a parent and teacher who identified herself as a former District 25 student and staff member, asked board members to “see beyond the numbers” and consider alternatives to closing Tendoy Elementary. “Neighborhood schools foster a strong sense of community,” she said, arguing that proximity reduces student commute time and increases parental involvement.
Representatives for Washington Elementary also made detailed cases to keep that building in use. Dakota Bates, speaking for the Washington Elementary Advocates, said the group organized a march drawing nearly 300 participants and submitted data showing Washington’s reading and math growth outpaced district averages; Bates urged the board not to rush a closure decision and to explore other options, including partnerships and long-range planning aligned with the city’s infill goals.
Jim Anglesey, introduced as a professional community planner, told the board that the city’s comprehensive plan emphasizes walkable neighborhoods and that losing neighborhood schools reduces the appeal and economic vitality of core areas. “When a neighborhood loses a school, fewer new residents move there and property values decline,” he said.
District staff told the board they are balancing declining enrollment and funding. Jonathan Balz, presenting the district’s enrollment-and-attendance committee update, said the district has seen an enrollment decline of about 930 learners since 2019–20 and that the resulting revenue loss has already required staffing reductions. He emphasized the board would not act on closures at this meeting and noted staff will hold special meetings and public hearings to gather more input.
The board tentatively scheduled a special meeting for Jan. 7, an elementary public hearing for Jan. 13 and a secondary hearing for Jan. 15, with possible board action in February. Board members discussed starting hearings in the evening so working parents can attend.
What happens next: the district will collect the public input at the January hearings and staff will return recommendations. The board emphasized it will not make closure decisions at the December meeting and will provide additional technical assessments—particularly structural evaluations for older buildings—before any final action.
