School Closing

Family and Community Relations

InTASC Standard: 5
Corey Morning
7-20-18
EDWN 641 Instructor: Ron Walsh
The Prescott School District’s School
Board voted to close the Cardinal
Elementary School for the 2019 school
year.

Rational: The student enrollment at the two elementary schools

have decreased over the past five years.
WISEdash
(Wisconsin Information System for Education data dashboard)
Enrollment is a head count of students receiving primary educational services from a school district as of the 3 rd Friday
in September each year.

Enrollment for Cardinal Elementary and Malone

Elementary
Years
2013-14 2014-15 2015-16 2016-17 2017-18

Enrollment # 680 670 660 610 590

 Activities for Students, Staff, and Parent before the Big Move
In the spring, teachers from both schools will openly answer students’ questions.  As Malone’s
principal, I will visit Cardinal Elementary School weekly, so students will get used to seeing me.  I will read
stories to some classes and stop by to say hello to others.
We will give students from both schools many opportunities to interact socially with one another.  This is a
great way to focus on the positive aspects of the change of students to another building.
Joint learning activities will help students from both schools, experience working together.  K-2
students from Cardinal Elementary will attend morning meetings, a weekly morning program at Malone
Elementary to build relationships.  Then students will go off with their buddy and do a learning activity to
put this relationship building into motion. These activities will consist of making student signage for the
building.  It will give all students a chance to create signage for their school they will be attending.
At the end of every school year, Malone’s teachers arrange “moving up” day at which students get to meet
the teachers from the grade level they’ll be entering.  Cardinal Elementary students and teachers will take
part in the 2019 “moving up” day. This day will ease some of the worries about moving to a new school.
 I would like both PTA to meet from both buildings.  All parents can attend the Malone Parent Committee (MPA)
meeting.  This will give parents time to blend the best ideas from both schools into one.
In late August, we will host an ice cream social on Malone’s playground for all parents and students.  It will be
our first opportunity to bring everyone in the two communities together socially as one and hope for a successful
participation.  As parents chat over ice cream and watch their children play together, they begin to feel excited about
the move.

Let’s make this happen together,

Mr. Morning
Malone Elementary Principal
morningc@precott.k12.wi.us
(715)262-5463
 Movement Process from Cardinal Elementary School to
Malone Elementary School
The plan to transition our Cardinal Elementary School teachers, students, and resources into Malone
Elementary School is a very detailed process.  It is very important that every step is followed to ensure
this transition is a successful one.
First, the new building space needs to be physically evaluated to see what extra furniture, storage,
SMART board location and teacher desks are needed.  The curriculum needs to be stored in different
locations (in class, closet, library, resource room). A check in/out system needs to be set up while
sharing these resources with so many other educators.  It needs to be identified where classrooms will be
set up from a learning perspective. Organize teacher classroom locations based on learner needs (ie:
SPED near the restrooms, etc.).
Inventory needs to be taken for physical resources (desks, chairs, bookshelves, meeting tables, etc.)
 Curriculum resources needs to be accounted for to make sure the school has enough resources for the
students and teachers.  Some of these resources are: DRA kits, math supplements, supplies, and science
kits. During this time, it should be determined what items the district should keep, repurpose, or toss for
curriculum and physical limitations.  
 Curriculum resources can be placed in the resource room starting May 23rd.  Please place these
resources in the correct grade level box along with the correct curriculum area it is used for during the
year.   Please pack up all of your reading, math, science, spelling, writing, and social studies resources.
Boxes, tape, and bubble wrap will be provided for packing your classroom materials.  It might be a
good idea to pack your special, personal, and breakable items in boxes that you would take home, so it
isn’t broken during transportation to the other school.  The school district isn’t responsible for paying
for broken items during this process. The janitorial staff will be very supportive during this movement.
Don’t be afraid to ask for some assistances with larger items/boxes from them.  It is important to label
your boxes with the room number, so each box can be placed in the correct classroom. The school
district is looking at paying staff for after contracted time packing up their rooms. This decision will be
communicated with you later after it goes to the school board.
Touring the new building for students and parents is needed for a smooth transition.  Proper signage
will be displayed throughout the building to ensure positive scavenger hunt opportunities.  All the
proper expectation displays will be posted near the gym, restrooms, playground equipment, and in the
hallways.   

Thank you~ Mr. Morning, Director of Instruction, Prescott School District

 Calendar of Transition Events
December/ January
• Begin identification, inventory, and relocation of items.
• Identify all current adopted textbooks and supplemental resources
by grade level.
• Begin inventory process of all furniture and equipment by
classroom, documenting textbooks, supplies and technology.
• Begin scrapping items throughout the building.
• Begin to take personal items home.
• Place excess furniture and equipment in a secure central storage
area.
• Custodial staff can order extra pickups as required.
 February
• Cancel or terminate contracts with outside vendors effective at the end of the
school year.
• Assist parents/students in the transition to new school as part of the student
assignment process.
March
• Put out a call to district sites to submit requests for surplus
furniture/equipment from closed school.

April
• Make arrangements with finance office and receive written authority for key
staff.
• Determine records retention requirements for student, staff, and financial.
• Identify furniture and equipment to be made available to district sites.
 May
• Close the library to permit the media specialist to complete full
inventory.
• Confirm with technology coordinator as to status of computer-related
items located in library.
• Cancel all newspapers and magazines.
• Schedule meeting with district finance office to review closeout of
accounts, retention and auditing requirements.
• Inventory all financial records, both current and archived.
• Inventory building custodial equipment and supplies.
• Coordinate relocation with appropriate district staff.
• Assist staff with reassignment process.
• Coordinate relocation with district staff.
• Inventory all student records, both current and archived.
 June
• Complete all inventories.
• Close out student records.
• Receive all keys from the staff, and have them sign a form indicating keys returned.
• Keys for furniture and built-in cabinets to be taped in the units.
• Keep alarm cards and notify facilities staff when access can be deactivated.
• Alarm card will be reprogrammed for new location.
• Pack all assessment and testing materials.
• Pack all curricular materials and textbooks.
• Organize and label by subject area.
• Pack all special education equipment, records and IEP’s.
• Forward records and IEP’s to new school assignment.
• Technology coordinator should clean hard drives on all existing computers of personal
information and prepare units for redistribution.
• Relocate all technology-related equipment to secure area and maintain inventory.
• Request final audit.
• Complete outstanding work orders.
• Complete evaluations for all staff.
 July
• Finalize all payments and purchase orders.
• Process miscellaneous payroll information.
• Complete all end-of-year budget items.
• Complete final audit.
• Pack and label all financial records and relocate to secure area.
• Re-key all secure storage areas.
• A final cleaning of the building will be completed.
• Extra pickups should be scheduled for trash and shredding
containers.
• Arrangements should be made to identify and remove all
hazardous materials.
Staff Transition Plan
Staff has the opportunity to request
new placement sites.
• School Board and administration will
make decisions about staff balance in
the school.
Staff is encouraged to schedule visits
to Malone Elementary School.
• While visiting, staff is given the
opportunity to start putting roots
down in a new school and to learn
about any specialized program the
school might have.
• Staff should start taking personal
items home during the month of
January.
Turning Cardinal
Elementary
School into…

 Use of gym space by the school

district
 Many rooms for different classes
 Daycare set-up for community
 Restrooms and showers available
 Connection with daycare for
school staff before and after school
 Parking lot
This Photo by Unknown Author is licensed under CC BY-NC-ND
 Prescott community can use it
Easing the transition for
students and staff

 In the spring, teachers from both

schools will openly answer students'
questions.
 As Malone's principal, I will visit This Photo by Unknown Author is licensed under CC BY

Cardinal Elementary weekly so

students will get used to seeing me.
I will read stories to some classes
and stop by to say hello to others.
More transition activities…

 We will give students from both schools many

opportunities to interact socially, a great way to focus on
the positive aspects of the change.
 Joint learning activities will help kids from both schools
experience working together.
 K-2 students from Cardinal attend Morning Meetings, a
weekly morning program at Malone for all K–2
students.
 The kids then will go off with their buddy and do
activities together.
 The activities consist of making student signage for the
building.
More transition activites…

 Malone's teachers arrange a "moving up” day.

 Cardinal students and teachers will take part in the 2019
moving up day.
 We will invite all parents from both schools to attend MPC
meetings. This will give parents time to blend the best ideas
from both schools.
 In late August, we will host an ice cream social on Malone's
This Photo by Unknown Author is licensed under CC BY
playground.
 As parents chat over ice cream and watch their kids play
together, they begin to feel excitement about the move.
Welcome Activities for
Students and Parents

Scavenger
Hunt

Proper signage will be

Touring the new building for All the proper expectation
displayed throughout the
students and parents as a displays will be posted near
building to ensure positive
game.   the gym, restrooms,
scavenger hunt opportunities.
playground equipment, and
 
in the hallways.
 Thank you for all the hard work and
ideas!

Closing a school is a difficult and emotionally

process for all involved in it, but successful
outcomes are possible through an open and
inclusive community-involvement process like
we have here in Prescott.