Link to Original Story

CAT Tracks Editor's Note: A link to the video of the Channel 6 newscast about the proposed merger of Cairo's elementary schools is available at the above website.

Two local schools merging into one

By Noah Bond

CAIRO, Ill. -- A math problem is proving to be too much for a local school district. It's forcing school leaders to merge two schools into one and layoff about six teachers.

School officials say the district loses about 22 students a year. The state gives the district a little more than $5,500 per student. As a result, the school is losing $121 thousand from its budget every year. The trend started about seven years ago and is expected to continue.

Students are leaving because most of their parents work in other cities. Families are leaving because they want to live closer to work, according to School Superintendent Leotis Swopes.

It's leaving Cairo with an unusual problem-- too much class space. For every 14 students there is one teacher and while great for students, its financially unsustainable.

School leaders say they have no choice but to move 3rd through 6th grades from Bennett Elementary into Emerson Elementary, which houses Kindergarten through 2nd grade.

Rose Gayle Pickett has worked at Bennett Elementary for 28 years. "I've been a teacher and a principal here and it's really sad to see the school close," said Pickett who is the current Principal at Bennett Elementary.

"If the decline keeps as it's going right now we, the whole district, will be able to fit into the high school," said Swopes.

Another major problem is money. Maintenance repairs at Bennett Elementary cost $50,000 a year. It is dealing with chronic and costly boiler and electrical problems.

Swopes said if he does not close the school his district will be $500,000 in debt by the end of the year. "It's going to be tough to see the building close up and not be used," said Pickett.

Bennett Elementary will remain open through the end of this school year. School leaders will merge students next Fall at Emerson Elementary. Cairo school leaders say at least six teachers will lose their jobs. They hope to take care of this problem through retirement. Cairo's School Board will hold a public meeting about merging the schools Feb. 18 at 6 p.m. in the Community Education Building.

Another CAT Tracks Editor's Note:

A change of location might be in order for the February 18th "public meeting"...which is the same date, time, and location as the regular monthly meeting of the Cairo Board of Education.

One might think that a Special Meeting would be in order on a topic as dramatic as the closing an elementary school building. Failing that, you would at least think that a larger room for the meeting would be forthcoming...and maybe it is. The regular Board of Education meeting room gets crowded on "off nights".

If we are going to put on a show (media will certainly be present), let's at least have the courtesy of providing ample seats for the probable attendees.