Davenport School District closing options now include Buffalo Elementary School

DAVENPORT, Iowa--The Davenport School District added Buffalo Elementary School to the list of possible closures, Monday, June 4.

The move comes as the school board reviews the District’s Vision 20/20 plan to find ways to save money.

Davenport schools detail Vision 20/20 plan, teachers and board members speak out against some proposals 

Under the plan the board has to shut down a school in time of the 2019-2020 school year.

School closing options include:

• Adams Elementary-- This plan would put in place pre-kindergarten or Kindergarten through 6th grade district wide, and move 7th and 8th grade students from Williams Intermediate to Smart, Sudlow, Walcott and Wood. Adams Elementary students will move to the Williams facility. 

• Monroe Elementary-- This plan would convert all elementary schools to a pre kindergarten or Kindergarten through 6th grade. All current intermediate schools will become 7th and 8th grade. Monroe school will be vacated and the current Smart building will contain grades Preschool through 6th grade. 7th and 8th grade students will attend Williams, Sudlow and Walcott

• Buffalo Elementary -- This option would move students to Jackson and Blue Grass and Hayes.

• Washington Elementary-- This would move students to McKinley, Garfield and Madison.

• Buchanan Elementary-- this option would move students to Truman, Fillmore and Harrison.

Parents on the West end of the district say they’re moving ahead with the idea of breaking away from Davenport and creating the West Scott School District. Parent organizers says they now have petitions with about 600 signatures on them.

Blue Grass Mayor, Larry Guy says the move may sound like a good idea but is far from reality.

“If they are seceding from the Davenport School District they are going to have to buy an elementary school or build a new one, I just can’t believe. Where is the money going to come from,” says Guy.  

“I have not been able to find a procedure in the state of Iowa from seceding from a school district,” Guy continues.

Administrators will host a public forum Tuesday, June 12 at West High School for parents with questions about the updated proposal introduced.