Final Cedar Rapids schools open house set for tonight

The final Cedar Rapids School District open house on the district's future will be held Thursday night.

The event is set for Kennedy High School from 4 to 7 p.m. It's one of the community's last chances to speak out before Superintendent Dave Benson makes his recommendation to the school board next week. Declining enrollment forced the district to consider closing some schools and changing boundaries for buildings.

It's a topic of concern for many people and could affect more than just parents and teachers.

Closing schools could mean big changes for folks at the St. James Kids Club. Leaders of the non-profit daycare on the northwest side are worried about their future.

75 percent of the students cared for at the Kids Club attend two of the schools that could close, Madison and Harrison.

"We're licensed for 70 (kids). We could have to cut that in half. We have ten staff, we'd have to get rid of half the staff,” said St. James Kids Club Director Cindy Becker.

Tanya Hopp has sent all of her kids to the daycare. She said the neighborhood would be lost without it.

“There is nothing in the world that should take St. James from our community. There is absolutely no reason for it. It would be a tragedy. They are, I would say, the hub of our community,” Hopp said.

According to workers, moving children to other buildings, further away from the daycare, would cause transportation problems. Right now, many walk the short distance to and from school from the daycare. The non-profit organization can't afford vans or other transportation costs.

The daycare is urging parents of the students to go to the open house Thursday night. The director sent out a letter to parents asking them to speak up.

"They fought to find a home after the flood; they fought to replenish their things after the flood. They're fighting to keep their finances together. They don't want to fight to keep their daycare and school,” Becker said.

Board members and district administrators will be on hand to discuss proposed changes and listen to feedback from the community. Officials said they'd use that information as they work towards a decision.

The board of education will hold a final vote on district changes on March 12.