Northside Middle School could close 2018-19

MUNCIE, Ind. — The Muncie Community School Board heard a proposal from the administration on Tuesday night to close Northside Middle School for the 2018-19 school year.

The board voted 5-0 to authorize the administration to continue to "initiate a new set of middle school program delivery models."

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The proposal is to give students attending Northside Middle School four program options that could send them to Southside Middle School, Central High School, Muncie Area Career Center or the Madjax makers hub in the former Cintas/Midwest Towel commercial laundry downtown (at Madison and Jackson streets).

Southside students would have the same options.

Superintendent Steven Baule said the options under consideration are:

• A traditional middle school program at Southside (neither Northside nor Southside are operating anywhere near capacity).
• An honors middle school program including an early high school or eighth-grade honors academy option.
• An innovative blended virtual school in conjunction with several community partners. According to a written summary submitted to the school board, a potential motto for that program is "Innovative learning in today's environment."
• A virtual school option that could attract students regionally in partnership with an outside vendor.

The blended virtual school would be for students who are able to learn online for core courses such as language arts, math, science and social studies while maintaining teacher-student learning in elective courses in collaboration with community partners, according to a document provided to the board.

The school district's deficit-reduction plan has included closing three elementary schools and selling Northside Middle School to Ball State University, which has agreed to lease it back to the school district for $1 a year for several years.

After Tuesday's board meeting, Pat Kennedy, president of the Muncie Teachers Association, said she first learned about the proposal to close Northside during the meeting. "We've had no input," she told The Star Press.

Cassandra Shipp, director of secondary education at MCS, said the proposal has reached the point of community input and teacher input. 

But if Northside is to be closed for 2018-19, the district will have to move quickly, which means obtaining reaction from the community and teachers no later than January so a decision can be made in February, Shipp said.

The district is not trying to create something to scare people away, school board member Andy Warrner told The Star Press. "We're trying to create something more attractive."

Closing Northside would further reduce the district's deficit, he noted.

Shipp is one of the members of a team of school administrators, teachers and others studying middle school program options. 

Others on the team include MCS chief information officer Anthony Harvey, district spokesperson/teacher Anny Pichardo, teacher Melodee Motsenbocker, assistant principal Steve Douglas, technology coordinator Steve Spradlin, teacher Tiffany Turner, teacher Angelica Lasley, human resources director DiLynn Phelps, director of elementary education Dea Moore-Young, Northside Principal Eric Grimm and YWCA Director WaTasha Griffin.

Seth Slabaugh is a reporter at The Star Press who can be reached at (765) 213-5834 or seths@muncnie.gannnett.com.