Little Falls School Board Holds Hearing on Potential Dr. Knight Elementary Closure

Little Falls Community Schools is on the verge of entering into statutory operating debt, and one option the school board is exploring to save the district financially is the closure of Dr. S.G. Knight Elementary in Randall. On Monday, the board held the final public hearing before the vote that will decide what happens to the school.

“It’s state statute that school districts hold a public hearing,” explained Greg Johnson, superintendent of Little Falls Community Schools, “and we had the opportunity as a district to present the practicability of why we think that closing a school makes the best sense for the district—why it’s being discussed right now as a school district as well as to listen to public input.”

Many who attended the public hearing believe that despite the district claiming that there has been no decision made as of yet, many on the board have already made up their minds, with school board chair Doug Dahlberg telling audience members he intended to close the school after pressure from the crowd.

“In March at their board meeting, pretty much the only thing that they really highlighted was the potential closure of two schools, that being our elementary school in Randall and the middle school,” said Hannah Frank, a member of the Save Dr. Knight Group. “And then from that point forward, pretty much everything has been focused on the closure of Dr. Knight and why that’s so draining on the district versus any other school.”

Members of the Save Dr. Knight group have presented the district with alternatives to closing the school, including selling empty district lands, a four-day school week, and an operating referendum.

“The community of Randall presented multiple suggestions and options, and the school board just bounced off their eardrums, like they did not put any energy into even the possibility of considering what different types of steps the community could come together to support keeping the school open,” said Save Dr. Knight member Jonelle Bollig.

However, in the eyes of the school board, there’s not a clear solution that keeps them from entering statutory operating debt outside of closing the school.

“As we continue to listen to ideas, there isn’t anything that has the both short-term and long-term significant impact that closing the school does,” Johnson stated. “There’s nothing that’s been brought forward that is even close to that long term for us to be able to right the ship and keep us out of statutory operating debt.”

The school board will vote on the fate of Dr. Knight Elementary on Monday, June 30th.