After over a decade of debates, surveys and community focus groups, the Bruneau Grand View Joint School District is finally at a crossroads. On Nov. 4, the schoolboard will ask for permission to consolidate elementary schools.

Emotions are raw on both sides of the debate at the thought of closing a school. As a parent of six former and current BGV students and a school volunteer, this issue is very close to me.

As a stakeholder, I expect my local school district to serve two purposes. One, I expect the district to provide every student with the best education possible. And two, I expect the district to do this with fiscal responsibility.

BGV is currently facing a declining enrollment. This problem is not unique to rural school districts. For at least a decade the BGV district has been wrestling with closing our smallest and least populated school-Bruneau elementary.

While I hate to see any school close, the emotions must be set aside to accomplish the most important goals to provide the best education for each student and to do it with fiscal responsibility.

To keep all three schools staffed, the district currently has staff traveling between schools. This takes time and money away from our district. Teachers and paraprofessionals alike share the sentiment of being able to better educate students if they are under one roof.

Additionally, because of the low enrollment Bruneau elementary is required to have combination classrooms. While this is do-able, it certainly is not ideal for the best education of students. Finding teachers willing to teach in rural settings is also hard and Bruneau has an extremely high teacher turnover rate-up to 100% in the last year. Combining district resources will give our valued teachers and paraprofessionals every tool possible to help educate students.

Fiscally, the Bruneau Grand View School District spends $10,519 more annually per student for 23 students at Bruneau elementary than for the 90 students at the other elementary school. This disparity happens because the district spends $641,000 annually to keep the doors of a partially empty school open. This is not responsible management and will require more levies to maintain.

Bus rides for students in rural areas are always a challenge, especially for a geographically large district. However, the school board plan to bus all elementary students to Grand View is responsible and fair as this is the half-way point for students on the east (Bruneau) and west (Oreana) sides of the district. Bus rides districtwide would be comparable for all students.

It’s hard to see a school close but essential to ensure the best education for every child and to educate with fiscal responsibility. Our children and school district are better together.

Mandi Boren is a parent in the Bruneau-Grandview School District.