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Parents, staff and local officials urge Watertown Unified School District to keep LEAP and Lebanon Elementary open as board weighs cuts
Summary
At a community input meeting, residents, teachers and a board member pressed the Watertown Unified School District to preserve the place-based LEAP program and Lebanon Elementary while the board considers building closures to close a projected $5 million budget gap. The board said it will present clearer cost figures before a final vote.
Watertown Unified School District board members heard more than an hour of testimony from parents, teachers and local officials who urged the district not to close the LEAP program or Lebanon Elementary as the board considers building consolidations to address a projected $5,000,000 shortfall in the 2026–27 budget.
The board framed the meeting as an informational session and said no final decisions have been made. Chair (speaker 1) told attendees, "We are here to listen," and explained the board plans to present more detailed budget numbers at an upcoming board meeting.
Residents and staff described LEAP as a place‑based, outdoor curriculum rooted in gardens, animal care and outdoor classrooms that, they said, cannot easily be moved without losing the program’s educational core. One teacher who spoke said the program’s infrastructure was built through grants, donations and PTO fundraising and that "this is not an experimental program" but one that has produced consistent outcomes over years. A parent, Brian Decroy, said "culture wins championships," arguing that the program’s small classes and community involvement attract and retain families.
Greg Frederick, who identified himself as a longtime resident, urged the board to weigh community ties and warned that closing a building can "piss people off," stressing local consequences for future referendums and community support. Tony Arnett, a board member who spoke remotely, said Lebanon Elementary produces high academic results and suggested the district consider referendum timing and enrollment trends before taking decisive action.
On the district’s side, the board described long‑term enrollment declines (about 875 students over the past 15 years) and significant deferred capital needs identified in a facility assessment. A board member, Julian Powell, said district staff have modeled consolidation of LEAP and Lincoln and estimated that combining at least two buildings "would reduce operating budget cost by $1,659,567 annually," but he acknowledged that detailed, school‑level breakdowns were not yet available and pledged to provide clearer numbers to the public before the board’s decision.
Speakers pressed the board for specific cost and savings figures, including a resident’s statement that shutting LEAP and Lincoln would "displace 200 children," and asked how much the district would save monthly or annually by closing a given building. Board members promised to produce the fiscal details and to publish a public presentation of the numbers at the next full board meeting and the February 28 public session.
The meeting closed with the board thanking speakers and reiterating next steps: a staff presentation of finances and a Feb. 23 discussion at the full board meeting, with a public meeting scheduled for Feb. 28. No motions or votes were taken at this session.
The board said formal decisions about closures will be made at a future public meeting after staff provide the requested budget breakdowns and operational details.
