GIPS Board of Education Approves the Closing of Seedling Mile Elementary for 2025-26 UPDATE

After a 45 minute special meeting, The GIPS School board has voted to not operate Seedling Mile Elementary for the 25-26 school year. Several supporters spoke during a public forum prior to the vote. Superintendent Matt Fisher reiterated his reasons for the decision including cost per student and staffing considerations.

There are a couple of reports featuring comments from the meeting, below. 

Here's the official release from GIPS.

GRAND ISLAND (Neb.) – For the 2025-26 school year, the smallest and only one-unit Elementary school at Grand Island Public Schools will not operate. 

After hearing public comments, district recommendations, and having discussion around the future operational status of Seedling Mile Elementary at December’s regular Board meeting, the Board of Education voted in approval to not operate Seedling Mile Elementary for the 2025-26 school year.  The vote took place at a Special Meeting held on Tuesday, December 17, 2024.

That the board was having to consider this difficult decision will likely be disheartening for many in the Grand Island community.  Built in 1888 and then re-built in 1991, Seedling Mile has housed thousands of students and hundreds of staff who have provided vibrant learning opportunities in those classrooms.  That legacy certainly continues today as students and staff are deeply invested in meaning learning. 

“This has been an incredibly hard decision for board members, as well as the district leadership, to make.” Matt Fisher, GIPS Superintendent, reflected, “There is a keen understanding of the connections that people have with the Seedling Mile school.  Unfortunately, current staffing and financial considerations make this difficult decision a necessity.”

With that being said, GIPS aimed to keep students and staff as the focus of our decision.

Why is the district not operating Seedling Mile Elementary?

GIPS believes operating a one-unit school (one class per grade) limits the high-quality learning experiences we could provide for students.

Operating a one-unit school brings notable operational and financial inefficiencies.

Long Term plan (3-10 years), GIPS projected need for additional buildings in different locations in the community.

How is Seedling Mile operationally inefficient?

From a financial perspective, it is considerably more expensive to operate a small, one-unit Elementary school compared to the other 13 Elementary schools in GIPS.  Here is a financial snapshot:

Nebraska Department of Education (NDE) Cost Per Pupil:

Nebraska Per Pupil Cost average:  $15,082 (per 2023 NDE dashboard)

GIPS Cost Per Pupil: 

GIPS District:  $15,027 (per 2023 NDE dashboard)
Seedling Mile:  $17,753 (per 2023 NDE dashboard w/ Kindergarten)

Projected Cost Per Pupil:

Seedling Mile:  $22,680 (projected for FY 24-25 actual grades offered)
Seedling Mile:  $21,288 (projected for FY 24-25 as if Kindergarten)
Seedling Mile:  $28,253 (projected for FY 25-26) 

Additionally, the operations side of running a one-unit school brings its limitations.

GIPS currently utilizes 12 “shared” staff members from across the district to meet the equivalent of 4 full-time roles in the building.  This would cover our traveling specialists for P.E., Music, SECA, Media, and other roles.

Programming inconsistencies due to limitations of being a single-unit school also mean limited in-class support from specialists and support staff especially for important intervention opportunities such as WIN time.

Ultimately, this decision was made out of a commitment to being able to better ensure high-quality learning experiences and resources for students.

More information and data relating to this decision may be found on the district’s FAQ page:  https://www.gips.org/seedlingmileFAQ. 

What was the timeline of the conversation and eventual decision?

After months of careful consideration, conversation, and data review, GIPS district administration arrived at the conclusion in November that the district would recommend to the Board that Seedling Mile not operate for the 2025-26 school year.  From there additional conversations were had:

November 14, 2024 – The GIPS Board of Education held their annual Board Retreat to discuss non-actionable things in an open discussion.  The GIPS District Leadership Team shared the Seedling Mile operational inefficiencies with the Board at that time.  No decision was made.

November 15, 2024 – GIPS Superintendent Matt Fisher met with the Seedling Mile Staff and Administration to share with them about the district’s recommendation to the Board. 

November 26, 2024 – GIPS District Leadership met with Seedling Mile Families & Staff to share with them about the operational inefficiencies of the school and to hear directly from families.

December 4, 2024 — Message from Superintendent Matt Fisher shared with staff, families, and the community HERE. 

December 12, 2024 — The GIPS Board of Education listed the operation of Seedling Mile for 2025-26 as an Information Item on the agenda, and opportunity for the public to share comments, for the December 2024 Regular Board Meeting.  

December 17, 2024 — The GIPS Board of Education held a Special Meeting to hold an Action Item vote, after public discussion, to not operate Seedling Mile Elementary for 2025-26 and absorb the Seedling Mile attendance area into the Dodge Elementary attendance area. 

The goal in making the decision before winter break was to provide students, staff, families, and the community a decision as early in the school year as possible.

What is next going forward?

The district will share a GIPS 2025-26 School Year Indication Form with Seedling Mile families on January 13, 2025.

On that form, families will have an opportunity to indicate your preferences for enrolling your child next school year.

GIPS anticipates a need to provide transportation support from Seedling Mile to Dodge Elementary next school year.

The information provided on the indiciation form will help the district plan what transportation support to Dodge will look like and how to best accommodate staff placements in the district.

In a direct message sent shortly after the deciding Board meeting, Superintendent Matt Fisher shared with Seedling Mile Families:

“As we look to the transition ahead, I want to thank you, all, for the passion and support you have shown for our Seedling Mile staff and school.” Fisher shared with families, “Especially those of you who have shared your voices, questions, and concerns along the way.  While this decision was incredibly difficult, all of us at GIPS are incredibly grateful for you, your families, and for the opportunities we have to educate your students.  Thank you for advocating for your school and thank you for all the ways you have shown appreciation and support for our incredible Seedling Mile staff.  Again, our commitment to you and your students will continue to be our focus.”