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Parents and staff press Stapleton Public Schools board for action as enrollment and athletics decline
Summary
Residents and staff told the board that falling enrollment, persistent bullying and low athletic participation threaten the district’s future; board members discussed consolidation, regional co‑ops and creating vocational programs and asked the community to join a planning committee.
Residents and school staff urged the Stapleton Public Schools Board of Education on Monday to address falling enrollment, student bullying and low participation in athletics, saying the problems threaten the long-term viability of the district.
A parent who spoke during the public-comment period said the district’s enrollment has fallen from 188 students in 2020 to 137 now, citing Nebraska Department of Education figures, and warned that continued losses could force program cuts or school consolidation. The speaker called for higher academic standards, stricter supervision in common areas, better internet filtering and expanded course offerings to keep families in town: "I’m 300% against using the grading scale," the parent said during remarks to the board.
Board members and administrators spent a substantial portion of the meeting discussing short- and long-term responses. Ideas raised included forming a community-led committee to develop outreach and recruitment strategies, pursuing a regional sports cooperative so students can compete in shared programs, and expanding vocational offerings and building-trades courses that might attract and retain families. The activities director reported recent outreach with neighboring Tryon athletes and noted current fall-sport participation numbers are uneven: roughly a dozen high-school boys committed to football, nine girls currently listed for girls basketball and mid-teens for volleyball and other sports, though summer participation remains uncertain.
Administrators described morale concerns among staff and students; a staff member who spoke identified herself as both a parent and school employee and said, "Morale is incredibly low," urging the board and community to work together to rebuild confidence.
Board members and the superintendent framed consolidation or formal district unification as a long-term option rather than an immediate step. They emphasized that such changes must be community led and transparent and suggested strengthening existing co-op relationships (for athletics and shared programming) as an incremental approach. The superintendent said the district will pursue conversations with neighboring districts and recommended building goodwill through shared programs and pilot projects before proposing structural change.
Next steps identified at the meeting included asking interested residents to contact district staff about serving on a planning committee and further outreach to neighboring districts and athletic directors to explore co-op arrangements. The board set its next regular meeting for June 15 and scheduled a June 30 retreat to discuss longer-range planning, including athletics and enrollment strategies.
