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Residents, principals and partners urge board not to close JW Smith Elementary
Summary
Parents, Principal Bruce Goodwin and community partners told the Bemidji Public School District board that closing JW Smith Elementary would harm students who rely on neighborhood access, PreK, Ojibwe language instruction and the Boys and Girls Club partnership; the board reiterated that a formal decision is set for March 2.
Community members filled the public-comment period at the Bemidji Public School District board meeting to oppose a proposal to close JW Smith Elementary, saying the move would disrupt students, families and partnerships that the school sustains.
Bruce Goodwin, principal of JW Smith Elementary School, told the board the proposal came as a ‘‘real shock’’ and described JW Smith as ‘‘intertwined into the fabric of the city’’ with programming that includes Ojibwe language and culture instruction and a strong PreK partnership. Goodwin said the school functions as a predictable, safe neighborhood hub where staff can provide close, personalized support.
Parent speakers emphasized access and equity. Jess Ness said JW Smith is one of the district’s last neighborhood schools within walking distance for many families and highlighted the school’s PreK and Boys and Girls Club integration. Erin Murray, who identified herself as a mother and small-business owner, said proposed cuts threaten special education services and said the district has proposed $134,000 in reductions to special education. She urged the board to consider shifting cuts elsewhere and questioned district compensation priorities.
Andrea Kent, executive director of the Boys and Girls Club, described a 21st Century grant authorized through the Minnesota Department of Education that helped open a JW Smith branch in fall 2023. Kent said the grant totaled $2.7 million and the JW Smith branch has served more than 190 unduplicated youth, with 70–80 children attending on a typical day; she warned the site’s closure would disrupt that programming and the grant’s renewal prospects.
Other community members, including a former neighborhood representative and JW Smith staff, said JW Smith serves students experiencing homelessness and those with special needs and urged the board to pursue other revenue options and more community engagement before moving forward.
Superintendent Olsen reiterated that no action on JW Smith would occur at the February 18 meeting and that the next formal step will be a March 2 presentation at 5:00 p.m.; if the process moves forward it would trigger a statutory public hearing and a two-week newspaper notice requirement. Olsen also delivered a district financial overview that listed a projected FY27 deficit of approximately $3.5–$3.6 million and said some of the reductions being considered are one-time savings.
The board did not vote on JW Smith at this meeting; community members asked for additional options, greater transparency about alternatives to closure and protections for programs serving vulnerable students. The next public meeting on the topic is scheduled for March 2, when the district plans a presentation and, if warranted, subsequent public hearing notice.
