Superintendent recommends closing Intermediate School; public forum set March 16

Superintendent Brian Rentsch recommended that the district close the Intermediate School and redistribute students for the 2026–27 school year. He proposed moving eighth grade to the high school, fourth and fifth grades to the middle school, and third grade to the elementary school to consolidate operations.

Rentsch told the board that a decision needs to be made by the end of March if changes are to take effect next school year and that the board had scheduled a public forum for Monday, March 16 at 6:00 p.m. at the Middle School and a follow-up special meeting on Tuesday, March 31 at 6:00 p.m. at the Administrative Office. The board did not take final action on the recommendation during the March 9 meeting; the public forum is intended to gather staff and community input before a vote.

The recommendation was presented as part of the district's strategic planning discussion; board members and administrators discussed consolidation options and financial concerns. The superintendent described consolidation as an option to restructure grade configurations and reduce building operating costs, while indicating timeline constraints for implementation. Community members and staff were listed among attendees and the board expressly opened two additional meetings to receive comments and questions before any final vote.