This month and next the community is invited to weigh in to Murray school board members on a proposed school bond, which would impact all schools within Murray School District. In addition, a boundary change impacting students at Parkside and Liberty elementaries also is being considered.

A public informational meeting about the Murray Board of Education’s recommendations will be held at 6 p.m., March 7 at the Murray School District office, 5102 S. Commerce Drive. The Board also will take public comment at its March 15 and April 11 meetings, which begin at 5 p.m. at the District office.

The proposed bond measure for November 2024 would be earmarked to rebuild Riverview Junior High and add a wing to Murray High School. Along with these structural changes, the Board recommends the District move from its current junior high or seventh- through ninth-grade model to middle schools, or sixth through eighth grades.

“This recommendation comes after nearly five years of facility and student population studies, reviews and discussions,” said Jaren Cooper, Murray Board of Education chair. “It’s not an easy decision but reflects a commitment and responsiveness to optimizing learning conditions for our Murray students.”

Perry said that only 10% of the country still uses the junior high model.

“Students are tracked on their academic performance more closely beginning in ninth grade so it makes a lot of sense to move those students to the high school,” he said.

Additionally, students in Riverview and Hillcrest junior high schools already are competing athletically at the high school level.

It also will allow the District to take a closer look at its aging schools.

“We have some facilities that are aging and need to address them to ensure we are managing our assets and taxpayer investments responsibly,” Cooper said.

Riverview, built in 1961, is already showing its age.

“It’s probably in the worst shape, physically, of all our schools,” Perry said. “We have a lot of issues with plumbing and a lot of issues with leaking. Whenever it rains, I’ve seen between five and 15 big garbage cans that are catching water from the ceiling, leaking really bad. There’s flooding that goes on beneath the school, which is causing some corrosion.”

It would be rebuilt on the school’s field so current students would not be disrupted, Perry said, adding the same intent would be at the high school.

Hillcrest Junior High was rebuilt in 2015 and Murray High in 2003.

“Murray High was originally built so an additional wing could be built in that open plaza area between the gym and the office. That template is in place to build that addition if it were needed. The addition would be three stories and match the aesthetics of the current building,” he said.

If the District receives favorable public opinion, Perry said that the next move will be to look into architectural plans, costs and other specifics and timelines to go forward with the bond measure this November. 

The Board also will review other schools’ conditions and possibly consider rebuilding or closing elementaries as Murray, as across the nation, is seeing a declining student enrollment. 

Perry said overall enrollment is expected to continue dipping for the next five years.

“All the elementary schools, outside of Horizon, are in a similar boat with being built in the 1950s and ’60s. The Board will have to look down the road here in the not-too-distant future at replacing some of those elementaries or redrawing boundaries more comprehensively and potentially closing one or two elementary schools. What we’re trying to do is ‘right-size’ Murray schools,” he said.

“Right-sizing” the schools is the idea behind the anticipated school boundary change for the 2024-25 school year. Under the recommendation, about 70 students living north of Fireclay Avenue and west of State Street and are currently enrolled at Parkside Elementary would attend Liberty Elementary next school year.

“Those students already are being bussed to Parkside, so that recommended transition makes as minimal change as possible and will help Liberty out with their enrollment numbers,” said Murray District spokesman Doug Perry.

Currently, Liberty’s enrollment is nearing 300 students. Parkside has more than 400.

“This recommendation will allow us to right-size Liberty Elementary’s enrollment,” he said. “We need to be good stewards of taxpayer dollars. The Board looked at lot of different possibilities—possibly closing one of our schools, combining schools, moving boundaries for next year. At the end of the day, the least disruptive for this next year was to move that small pocket of students along our northern portion of the District and have them attend Liberty next year.”

As both schools are Title I, this would also necessitate a small shift in staff and funding to Liberty to commensurate with per pupil costs. While both that impacted neighborhood and Liberty are along the TRAX line, it would allow parents public transportation for easier access to after-school and evening events.

Perry said that families can put in for boundary exceptions as usual and depending on enrollment and capacity, their students may be granted to remain at Parkside.

These recommendations come after the District began the study five years ago, but were put on hold during the COVID-19 pandemic. Now, they’re back on track to see the future of the District, Perry said.

“We want people to continue to come to our board meetings and offer public comments and also to reach out to their board members individually, or collectively by email. They’re very open to different ideas and questions and whatever is on the minds of Murray citizens,” he said.

Murray Superintendent Jennifer Covington said the Board carefully considered its options leading to these recommendations for the community input.

“Our commitment is to provide the best possible education for every student in our District,” she said. “This proposal and their vision for the future reflect that, ensuring our schools are appropriately sized, well-equipped, and capable of meeting the evolving needs of our community. I believe this fosters an environment where students can thrive academically, socially and emotionally.” λ