By Stephenie Steitzer
Enquirer contributor

Campbell County School District officials may close the district's smallest elementary school to save about $240,000 next year.

The 150 students at A.J. Jolly Elementary would be transferred to Alexandria Elementary if board members decide to accept one of about 50 cost-cutting recommendations from the district's superintendent.

While the decision affects fewer than 200 students and their parents, it is one of the most controversial items on the superintendent's list.

"It is a volatile issue," Superintendent Roger Brady said. "All I'm asking (the board) to do is consider it as a potential option."

IF YOU GO

• What: Campbell County School Board meeting. • Issue: The board will vote on whether to schedule two public hearings on the proposed merger of A.J. Jolly and Alexandria elementaries. • When: 7 p.m. today Where: Alexandria Elementary School, 51 Orchard Lane

A majority of the Jolly parents and Jolly Principal Ann Painter say because the district is already planning to open a new school for Jolly and Alexandria students in 2004-05, it is senseless to move students for one year.

"It has been in a facilities plan to build another one on the AA Highway, so we are familiar with that idea," said Ms. Painter, the principal for 20 years. "The thing that we do not favor is leaving this site, going to Alexandria for one year and then moving to the new school."

A.J. Jolly parents held an informal meeting last week to discuss the proposed merger. The school board will formally discuss the proposal at its meeting tonight.

The superintendent says the district desperately needs to trim costs because of an expected cut in state funding and drop in interest earned on district savings.

Mr. Brady also says a drop in enrollment for the past five years has led district officials to believe they could consolidate the six schools into five buildings to save money.

On top of that, the Jolly building, on Ky. 3 in California, Ky., was built in 1926, and needs a new roof, costing about $30,000. Because the district is planning to close it, the state will not allow the district to spend any more state money on the building, Mr. Brady said.

Another economic issue: Before Sept. 11, 2001, the district earned about $400,000 a year in interest accrued on district bank accounts, Mr. Brady said. This year, those accounts earned less than $50,000 because the federal government has slashed interest rates to encourage businesses to invest.

In addition to the proposed merger, Mr. Brady said he is also looking at cutting elementary art programs and reducing bus routes. All the ideas are still on the table, and the board will need to decide each item individually.

"We're looking at every option available in trying to see what those budget ramifications will be, and (we will) do what we think we need to do to provide a balanced budget," he said.

Still, the idea of having to send her two children to a new school for one year doesn't sit well with New Richmond Station resident Jana Setty.

She said her children, Alana, 8, and Alicia, 6, would leave a small, neighborhood school for Alexandria, which has about 430 students.

A.J. Jolly staff "love my kids and that makes me love them, and that's what it's all about," Ms. Setty said.

"I'm afraid they'll just get jammed in (Alexandria) like cattle and just get kicked through the chute like cattle."

But Alexandria Principal Linda Matz said none of the school's students are treated like numbers now, and they wouldn't be if the two schools were merged: "I can see us coming together as a school and being a very cohesive unit. All of our staff is very caring and they look out for all the children."

Alexandria can handle the extra students.

The school accommodated 900 students at one time and, about five years ago, had about 500 students, Mr. Brady said. With the A.J. Jolly students added to current enrollment, Alexandria would have about 580 students after the merger.

Mr. Brady also said the new school would accommodate A.J. Jolly teachers, though he was unsure about how administrators would be merged together.

One more concern parents and Ms. Painter have about the merger is a drop in Kentucky standardized test scores.

A.J. Jolly has had scores on the Commonwealth Accountability Testing System (CATS) in the 75-85 range for the past five years. That makes the school a "reward school," which earns it more state funding.

Alexandria has scored in the 60s on the tests in recent years.