Cataract Elementary School on the chopping block once again

The Cataract Elementary School is on the menu of recommended reductions for the Sparta Area School District. School Board members John Hendricks, Ed Lukasek and Colin Burns-Gilbert were present, along with School Board candidates Pat McKenna, Marla Leverich, Amy Lopez and Todd Wells.

Bethany Ahnen, of Cataract started off the meeting by saying how it’s like family at Cataract Elementary School.

“The staff at Cataract Elementary are part of our family, they help us out, we help them out. It’s really hard for us Cataract residents to feel like we’re a part of the Sparta School District when we’re always on the chopping block. Cataract takes care of Cataract,” Ahnen said.

Krista Anderson of Cataract said she is concerned about how long bus rides would be if Cataract closes its doors.

“Much of the kids that currently go to Cataract would have to ride the bus much longer than they currently do. How far is too far of a bus ride for a 4-year-old?” Anderson said.

School Board candidate  McKenna said the issue reaches beyond Cataract.

“I was an Angelo kid when the Angelo school closed. Every parent knew every kid, and I’m sure that’s the same with Cataract,” McKenna said. “This school is unique; the board and administration should find ways to make it work.”

McKenna said, “Let’s be real here. If we closed Cataract Elementary School, we’re going to lose kids to Melrose-Mindoro School District, Black River Falls School District and to home schooling. So that $437,915 in annual savings of shutting down Cataract is not the actual number; it’s actually less than that because the district would lose students from closing the school.”

Kevin Schaitel of Cataract had a message for board members.

“We need you school board members, we don’t just need you today, we need you to remember this,” he said. “I want to avoid the fear of Cataract Elementary being on the chopping block every time the district looks at budget cuts. There are millions of dollars in all these separate funds the Sparta Area School District has, yet we’re here talking about closing the Cataract Elementary School to save $437,915.”

John Hendricks suggested people vote for the upcoming referendum if they want to save the school.

“If there’s a bad guy in the room, it’s me. I can’t speak for the whole board or administration, but from my perspective when I was the superintendent and this school was on the list of possible budget cuts; at that time there was not room in our schools to add the Cataract students, now there is,” he said. “I am speaking for myself only, but I am confident that no board member or administrator wants to see Cataract School closed.”

“The number one thing you can do to ‘save’ Cataract School is to vote for the referendum.” The Sparta Area School District has an operating referendum on the ballot on Tues. April 5^th. The District is asking for $4.2 million split between the next two years to maintain current operations.

Hendricks went on to say, “It’s a hard argument for most of the taxpayers in the city limits to keep the Cataract School. I’m an advocate for not using one-time funds for long-term problems. Using ESSER (Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief Fund) funds to ‘save’ the Cataract school delays the problems.”

McKenna added, “how much do we care about the 68 kids here in Cataract? Cataract Elementary makes up around 1% of the annual budget of the Sparta Area School District. There has to be other cuts that can be made before closing Cataract’s doors.”