Hammond board votes to close schools, but not buildings
Contributed By: The 411 News
Next day all School City of Hammond schools closed, staff doesn't show up
As many parents and teachers feared, the Hammond school board voted to close schools; although the buildings will remain open and no teachers will lose their jobs. Also, the school district has reached a tentative agreement with its teachers union.
That was the outcome from the School City of Hammond Board of Trustees meeting Tuesday night. But Wednesday morning, the district announced all schools would be closed for the day.
The school district’s website stated, “Due to excessive call offs, School City of Hammond is unable to safely staff our buildings today, April 24, 2024 and we must cancel school at all locations. There will be no eLearning and the day will be made up at a future date.”
At the start of the 2023-24 school year, a picture of gloom began to fester when the district was placed on the Indiana Distressed Unit of Appeal Board’s watch list. The district’s revenues were being outpaced by its expenses, the DUAB warned.
When voters failed to renew a referendum on the November 2023 General Election ballot adding $15 million to the district’s operating budget, that gloom turned to doom.
Days later, the district would not agree to a contract with the Hammond teachers union.
Since then, teachers and parents have demonstrated, reports of school closings have proliferated, and school board meetings disrupted.
Tuesday night’s meeting lasted over 4 hours. Two 5 minute recesses were taken to end the questioning board member Carlotta Blake-King directed to Supt. Scott Miller.
Lew Wallace Elementary, Morton Elementary, and Kenwood Elementary will not be used for K - 6 student instruction in the 2024-2025 school year but the buildings will stay open.
Wallace Elementary will be used 100% for HeadStart’s early learning services, with 50% used for instructional purposes and 50% for office space. The district is looking to partner with Geminus Corporation for early HeadStart, ages 0-3 years.
Morton Elementary will be used 60% for HeadStart’s early learning services.
Kenwood Elementary will be used 80% for storage. The cost to use this building as storage is less than the comparable storage space that is available in the district was the board’s explanation.
Parents from each of the 3 elementary schools will be notified by May 6th which schools their children will attend in the 2024-25 school year.
Staff from each of the school buildings will be notified of either reassignment or unavailable positions on or before May 31, 2024.
The school district is reevaluating its policy for students who live outside its boundaries. According to the Indiana 2023-24 School Corporation Transfer Report, 581 students transferred into the School City of Hammond.
Currently enrolled out-of-district students will be notified which school they are eligible to attend on or before May 30, 2024.
New enrollment capacities for out-of-district students seeking initial enrollment shall be determined for each school on or before June 18, 2024.
The board will determine how many transfer students will be accepted in each building and at each grade level.
Eric Kurtz, the district’s financial officer said 173 staff cuts were made. “It’s not something we wanted to do; these are good people. But we had to align our staff with what we could pay.” Staff cuts were made to district office and school buildings administration, health aides, custodians, clerical, support, information technology, craft/transportation, and ESSER funded positions.
“I can’t say this is all what’s needed in the future for Hammond. No one knows that,” said Supt. Miller. “But this is where we’re at now. I know it sucks for the kids most of all.”
Story Posted:04/24/2024
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