HELENA — After hours of meetings and public comment periods, a decision will be made about the future of Hawthorne Elementary School.
Superintendent Rex Weltz has proposed three options for the Helena Public Schools Board of Trustees:
- Close Hawthorne for the 2025 to 2026 school year.
- Close Hawthorne for the 2026 to 2027 school year.
- Keep Hawthorne open and maintain the status quo.
According to Tuesday's board meeting agenda, Superintendent Weltz is recommending the first option.
There are 179 students enrolled at the school for this academic year, and teachers and kids use nine classrooms.
The district says closing Hawthorne will save them approximately $1,000,000 annually.
The high school district's 30-year bond would raise $240 million to design, construct, and furnish a new Helena High School and renovate Capital High School.
If approved, it would raise taxes on a home valued at $400,000 by an estimated $294 yearly.
A separate 20-year elementary district bond would raise $43,000,000 to design, build, and furnish a new Kessler Elementary School.
If passed, the bond would raise taxes on the similarly valued $400,000 home by around $53 annually.
The last time the district put a bond before voters was in 2017.
The $63,000,000 measure led to the construction of three new elementary schools and safety improvements at other district schools.
The board of trustees meeting will be held Tuesday at 5:30 PM.
