You Need to Know
Madison Elementary’s enrollment has declined by 29% in the last six years while neighboring schools’ enrollment has increased. The current enrollment is 149 students (K-5) and is projected to continue to decline. Madison now has the smallest enrollment in the Olympia School District. Declining enrollment is apparently due to population shifts in the neighborhood, not to inter-district transfers.

Why Does this Matter?
The situation is urgent. This issue is bigger than we at Madison can solve on our own. This is an issue that the School District itself must work on. The school district must begin the process now. What will be the best way to add more students to the Madison community for the long term? We need to restore the size of Madison’s student body to improve the quality of the education our students receive.

• Funding and staffing is linked to enrollment. Lower enrollment means fewer resources for our children. Madison currently has a part-time principal, counselor, and librarian and one teacher per grade level except for first grade. The small staff is spread very thin to cover district and school responsibilities. Each year the school’s budget for educational materials has decreased while costs have not gone down.

• Fewer staff results in one teacher per grade level which means limited options for matching students with teachers.

• Smaller enrollment means fewer families with the energy and resources to support the school and provide enriching opportunities for our children.

• Smaller enrollment means less diversity and less opportunity for children to build friendships and relationships.

What Is Being Done?
The staff at Madison has discussed the declining enrollment and associated issues with Kevin Evoy, Assistant Superintendent, and Frank Wilson, District 1 School Board Member; Bonnie Guyer Graham, Madison Parent, has spoken to these individuals and raised these concerns at an April School Board meeting; and over 30 parents, volunteers, and staff at the recent Madison All-School Dinner focused on this issue.
Kevin Evoy has indicated that the District is not interested in closing the school and District staff has discussed possible solutions to the issue. An immediate response has ensured that Madison will be able to keep all of our current teachers, although the projected drop in student enrollment would normally cause us to lose a teacher for the coming school year.
While these actions are promising, it is very important that the District take action in the short-term and commit to a long-term solution to ensure that Madison’s enrollment grows to at least 220 to ensure a sustainable future.

What Can You Do?
Madison is valued for its small size, its strong instructional program—especially Walk to Read, community connection, newer facility, innovative technology, our new garden, and highly dedicated and talented staff. Help ensure that the school has a sustainable future!

• Attend the Olympia School Board meeting on Monday, May 10th at 6:30 pm in the Knox Center at 1113 Legion Way SE to show your support for Madison.

• Make a brief statement at the Board meeting encouraging the members to require the District administrators to develop a plan to address this issue by May 2011. Community comment is held at the beginning of the Board meeting, and each speaker is welcome to speak for two to three minutes.

What you might want to share with the School Board:
A couple of things you value most about Madison.
Start the process now –- creatively decide the best way of including more students in the Madison school community.
Suggestions you have for increasing student enrollment at Madison!

• Send an email to School Board members or to the District Superintendent requesting prompt attention in addressing this issue.
Carolyn Barclift cb*******@os*.edu
Mark Campeau mc******@os*.edu
Allen Miller am*****@os*.edu
Eileen Thomson et******@os*.edu
Vamsi Chunduru, Student vc*********@gm***.com
Frank Wilson, President fw*****@os*.edu
William Lahmann, Superintendent la*****@os*.edu

• Stay informed and active in seeking action on this issue.

For more information:
Bonnie Guyer Graham, Madison Parent, at gr******@ea*******.net
Wendy Endress, Madison Parent, at we***********@gm***.com
April 29, 2010