UTAH COUNTY — Three Alpine School District elementary schools were saved from the chopping block, but the board assures their fate will be re-visited.
Less than two weeks ago, the board voted to close Sharon and Valley View Elementary schools. On Tuesday night, members voted whether or not to continue studying Lehi, Lindon, and Windsor Elementary schools as potential closures.
“Action will still have to happen tonight,” said Sara Hacken, school board president. “And if not tonight, then when? And how?”
The decision to close elementary schools came after a bond failed in the November 2022 election.
“That’s the heartache I still feel throughout all this,” said parent Alicia Alba. “I still shed tears this past week over them.”
“Without a bond, it’ll take us years to take care of these needs,” said Hacken.
Since the fall, it’s been an accelerated process of studies and closures, so much so that parents filed a lawsuit and even got the state legislature involved.
“It exploded that sense of trust that so many of our communities had built,” said parent Heather Fri.
At Tuesday night’s meeting, board members discussed the funds unable to support under-enrolled schools and broken-down buildings.
The decision to stop the closure study of Lehi Elementary School was unanimous, but the outcome for Windsor and Lindon Elementary schools almost went in a different direction. Those votes were split 4 to 3.
“Whatever we vote on tonight is not the end, it cannot be the end,” said Hacken.
Parents plan to withdraw the lawsuit.
“Honestly, I was elated. I was thrilled. I thought: This is what we have been hoping for. This is what we’ve been asking for,” said Alba. “We really just want them to do this right.”
