OSD board votes to close three elementary schools in Olympia

The Olympia School District Board of Directors voted to close three elementary schools ahead of the start of the 2027-28 school year. 

The board passed Resolution 689: Authorizing School Closures, which will shut down McKenny Elementary School, Madison Elementary School and LP Brown Elementary School. The OSD Board of Directors made the decision at a meeting on Thursday, Nov. 12.

Directors Renee Fullerton, Gilbert Lamont, Hilary Seidel and Jess Tourtellotte-Palumbo voted in favor of the resolution. Director Maria Flores voted against the resolution.

McKenny will be consolidated with Pioneer and Centennial elementary schools, Madison with Roosevelt Elementary School, and LP Brown Elementary with Hansen and Garfield elementary schools. 

OSD Superintendent Patrick Murphy introduced the resolution and addressed the impact of closing the schools. 

“I recognize how difficult this decision is for families, staff and community. Madison, McKenny and LP Brown are … more than buildings. They are communities built on relationships, traditions and years of commitment," Murphy said.

"I have heard the frustration, the sadness, the concern expressed throughout this process, and I don't want to minimize it, and at the same time, I believe I have the responsibility to confront the realities facing our district." 

Murphy said elementary enrollment has declined, and kindergarten classes have fallen from more than 750 students in 2019 to around 500 in 2026.

He added the decline reflects demographic changes that are not unique to Olympia. 

“Unfortunately, enrollment has continued to decline, and the financial challenges remain. Operating more buildings … with fewer students stretches our resources and limits our ability to provide the staffing, programs and services our students deserve,” Murphy said.  

Tourtellotte-Palumbo said 35 people registered to speak during the meeting. Online and in-person attendees expressed dismay at the board’s actions. 

“Elementary students have suffered the most over the last few years with this plan, and we will see that in the coming years. You pass the blame to the state, but we have thought hard for ways that have doubled the budget over the past decade, and it is heart-wrenching to see it result in more centralized positions and raises,” said local resident Erika Lari. 

People also criticized the board for closing three schools that have a population of disadvantaged students. 

“LP Brown, Madison and McKenny have students who are some of the most disadvantaged students in the community, and you are asking these kids, these very young children, to go to new schools … you need to protect those children from the kinds of environmental damages they are going to suffer when they move (to) those schools and when they lose their community,” said commenter Kylie McQuarrie. 

The Nov. 12 meeting ended abruptly after all the directors cast their votes, amid loud clamors from in-person attendees. 

Board member comments 

Board members each expressed their reservations and reasons behind their votes prior to taking action. 

Fullerton, who initially proposed to delay the vote, said the superintendent believes the proposal for closure is the “best path forward” and did not prepare any choice for the board other than closing schools. 

“Action is required now, so I am willing to support this resolution tonight, not because I am happy with this process, but because my only real choice is voting 'yes' now or facing devastating consequences in the budget cycle,” Fullerton said.

Lamont pledged to keep listening to families. 

“If this passes, I want to keep listening to families and staff and schools that are closing, and the schools welcoming new students, and see where students are settling in and whether they need more help,” Lamont said. 

Tourtellotte-Palumbo said it is a priority to keep schools well-resourced and maintain classroom sizes. 

“We are in a difficult financial reality as a district and the picture is not improving. ... It has been a challenging few years,” Tourtellotte-Palumbo said. 

Seidel, who attended virtually due to an illness, apologized to the community and thanked staff who are working on pre-transition efforts that will create welcoming spaces for students from closed schools. 

“I am really sorry that we are all still in this position and that we are having to have this hard conversation … even though we may … disagree about the decision that we have to make for kids, we are still all very focused on kids,” Seidel said.

Flores shared how she joined the board during the COVID-19 pandemic and compared how they were more united at that time, while being able to reach consensus. 

“A lot of things have happened that have changed our ability to govern together. … We have to do this together, and we have to do it with staff at the district and the school level, and with community, and the reason I am voting 'no' is that I do not feel like we have honored that intention. I do not believe that we honored what we put as our equity parameters when we set up this budget process,” Flores said . 

Following the district’s timeline on its website, the next step will be Phase 2, Transition Design, which run until January 2027. It involves finalizing boundaries and schedules, designing transportation and operations, determining staffing plans and developing transition team plans.