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Board discusses consolidating preschool into kindergarten building to save utilities and staffing costs
Summary
District staff floated moving preschool classrooms into the kindergarten building on the Robert Lintz campus to reduce custodial, utility and staffing costs (estimated savings between roughly $100K–$200K for the building), while warning about enrollment volatility and reuse options for the vacated building.
Selah School District staff presented a potential consolidation that would move preschool students into the nearby kindergarten building on the Robert Lintz campus as a way to trim operating costs and reduce duplicated staffing.
Kevin described the physical fit and potential savings: the kindergarten building has underused classrooms and could house preschool students next year, yielding custodial and utility savings. He said the short-term personnel and utility savings for that building “we'd be over $100,000 but probably under $200” (approximate).
Presenters and board members discussed trade-offs: district leaders noted the move would not be immediate (a summertime change if approved) and cautioned that a sudden future spike in kindergarten enrollment could force a reversal. The board also discussed options for the vacated building, such as leasing space to external providers or selling the property; presenters said such dispositions would require legal review and board approval.
Staff said the change would yield mostly personnel and recurring operational savings rather than a large one-time windfall. They emphasized the need for better enrollment projections in the coming months before making a recommendation; any formal recommendation would come to the board in late April–June for consideration.
No vote or final decision was taken at the study session; staff asked board members to provide input if they had strong views before a potential recommendation.
