Parents Fight For D161 Board To Rescind Vote To Close Schools

FRANKFORT, IL — Summit Hill District 161 parents frustrated and disappointed with officials' decision to close two schools aren't giving up just yet. They've collected hundreds of signatures, dug deep into enrollment projections, taken a hard look at the district's numbers—and they say they're still not convinced the board made the right call.

Two Summit Hill District 161 schools will close as officials say they continue to face declining student enrollment, after the Board of Education voted 4-3 on Dec. 20 to shutter Mokena's Arbury Hills School and Frankfort Square School in Frankfort. Parents at that meeting clamored for more transparency and due diligence before the board were to vote, with the public comment portion growing heated at times.

The board will convene at a special meeting Wednesday, Feb. 7. On the agenda is a motion to rescind the vote made to close the schools. Some are hopeful that board members might be wavering in their prior stance.

Parent advocates have collected more than 400 signatures from community members, some who seemed unaware of the board's decision, which many called rushed and unsubstantiated. At a Jan. 17 meeting, parent representative Patrick Oliphant presented the board with a multi-page independent audit showing what he said was information pointing to discrepancies in the board's enrollment numbers and repair estimates. Board member Stefanie McCleish, who previously voted in favor of closing the school, said at that time that she would like more time to review the report.

"A step in the positive direction of fairness," said Oliphant.

Voting yes to the closings were board members Stefanie McCleish and Katie Campbell, along with president Jim Martin and vice president Joy Murphy. Voting no were Matt Carey, John Winter and Amy Berk. Carey has since resigned, after an opportunity took him and his family out of the district boundaries, he told the board in his resignation letter.

<< READ ALSO: D161 Board 'Awakened The Bear': Parents Furious Over Schools Closing >>

Oliphant has said he's found holes in the information the district has cited as reasons for the closings, specifically enrollment projections and the cost of essential repairs to buildings. To the former point, Oliphant said he's not convinced of the board's research, but if it's correct, then more work needs to be done to ensure the transitions for students are smooth.

"It’s not that we’re 100 percent against closing the schools, if that’s truly what’s best for the district and the taxpayers," Oliphant said. "We want transition plans in place, studies done on how it will affect property values. Plan for special education students, to see if where they’re moving to, can equip them."

Superintendent Dr. Paul McDermott said he appreciates the parents' passion for the issue, and that supplemental information and explanation will be presented at the Feb. 7 meeting.

"With each piece of information we present, we’re also offering where that information is coming from," McDermott told Patch.

Leading up to the vote, administrators stated the declining enrollment as a significant indicator of the closings being necessary.

"What was once a 3,600+ student District, now rests at 2,433 students in 2023," the District said, adding that enrollment will again decline next year. The Board had been previously considering the closure of Indian Trail School as well, but it was removed from the list of potential closures due to the number of classrooms at the building, McDermott said.

Enrollment in District 161, which has school buildings in Mokena, Frankfort and Tinley Park, is expected to dip again in 2024, district officials have said.

Arbury Hills School was built in 1960, according to District documents. The school's latest addition was in 2000, and it has the capacity of 456 students. A 2021 facility report showed that estimated repair costs for the school would be around $3.5 million. According to the data, the school has seen its enrollment drop from 262 students to 187 in recent years.

Frankfort Square School was built in 1973, and its latest addition was in 2000. The school has a capacity of 426 students. A 2021 facility report estimated repair costs at $2.6 million. The school has seen its enrollment drop from 239 students to 168 in recent years, the district said.

Officials have said the district would either sell the school properties or work with community partners to use the space rather than allow the buildings to sit empty.

McDermott said that enrollment numbers dating back to 2009 and projected through 2029 show the district will lose an estimated 1,620 students.

"We do our homework, we back up our statements," McDermott told Patch. "We’re looking at massive enrollment declines that have been coming for years."

Oliphant stands firm that if it's the right decision for the district and the students, the data will show that. He's concerned that estimates for repairs needed to the schools were overinflated. Classroom occupancy and capacity figures also seem miscalculated, Oliphant has said.

In petitioning for signatures, Oliphant said, he has encountered a sense of defeat lingering in the area, remnants of communities scarred by the closing of Lincoln-Way North High School in 2016. Summit Hill District 161 takes in students from much of the same geographic area.

"Not a single person has answered and told me they agree with closing the schools," Oliphant said. "Not a single person. These people are scarred from 210, and the closing of Lincoln-Way North."

Many told Oliphant the parent group's efforts wouldn't make a difference.

"We choose not to accept that as fact," Oliphant said. "We choose to keep fighting on behalf of the public and taxpayers."

McDermott provided Patch with enrollment projections that were also presented to the board last week. It's also available on the District 161 website, along with answers to more than 100 frequently asked questions.

McDermott knows closing two beloved schools hits hard, but says the numbers show the necessity.

"I think you start with empathy and understanding where people are coming from when they say people are afraid of this occurring in their community," McDermott said, regarding lingering impact of the Lincoln-Way North closing, and how it's affected current District 161 families.

" We’ve tried to make this process look different—when people ask questions, we answer them and provide them online. We answered them and dated them. If you read through the FAQ, it’s almost like a story—it’s exploratory. Two and a half months later, a lot of information had been provided, the board was ready to vote."

Voting to close schools is not an easy decision, and not one the board took lightly, McDermott said.

"No one would ever want to do this, it’s not to harm kids," McDermott said. "... When you lose 1,600 kids in 20 years, it warrants some kind of conversation."

Oliphant said they're asking for parents to attend the special meeting, but to also try to keep their cool.

"We’re going to keep fighting on behalf of our community, and the taxpayers," Oliphant said. "What’s key to us is that we conduct this professionally. … Last meeting got a little ugly, and we want to avoid that moving forward.

"Pettiness, snarkiness in the middle of the meeting, only sets our hard work back."

McDermott applauded the parents in their fight, while also acknowledging past meetings have gone off the rails.

"I’m glad they fight for the schools," he said. "I like their passion, even if I haven't always liked the way they've gone about it."

The special meeting will be held Wednesday, Feb. 7 at 7 p.m., at 20100 S. Spruce Dr., Frankfort.