Grand Island Public Schools

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS - SEEDLING MILE ELEMENTARY

Published - December 4, 2024

Updated - December 12, 2024

Updated - December 16, 2024

We will upload additional resources and add information as the conversation continues.  Any added information after 12.04.2024 will be clearly marked and date stamped.  

What is the future of Seedling Mile Elementary?

GIPS has made the recommendation to the Board of Education that we will not operate Seedling Mile as an Elementary School for the 2025-26 school year.

While a decision has not been made yet, the larger conversation regarding Seedling Mile Elementary started in the middle of November.  Please see the “timeline” question below for more information on the decision-making process ahead. 

Why has the district recommended not operating Seedling Mile Elementary?

• GIPS believes operating a one-unit school limits the high-quality learning experiences we could provide for our students.
  
  
• Operating a one-unit school brings notable operational and financial inefficiencies.
  
  
• The City does not expect nor project substantial growth in the “Seedling” part of the community.
  
  
• Long Term plan (3-10 years), GIPS projects the need for additional buildings in different locations in the community.
  
  

What is the timeline for the decision-making process? (updated 12.16.2024)

• November 14, 2024 – The GIPS Board of Education held their annual Board Retreat to discuss non-actionable things in an open discussion.  The GIPS District Leadership Team shared the Seedling Mile operational inefficiencies with the Board at that time.  No decision was made.
  
  
• November 15, 2024 – GIPS Superintendent Matt Fisher met with the Seedling Mile Staff and Administration to share with them about the district’s recommendation to the Board. 
  
  
• November 26, 2024 – GIPS District Leadership met with Seedling Mile Families & Staff to share with them about the operational inefficiencies of the school.
  
  
• December 4, 2024 — Message from Superintendent Matt Fisher shared with staff, families, and the community HERE. 
  
  
• December 12, 2024 — The GIPS Board of Education will have the operation of Seedling Mile for 2025-26 as an Information Item on the public agenda for the December 2024 Board Meeting.  Families and community members are welcome to attend, to share during the public comment time of the meeting, and to listen to the discussion with the Board.  Folks may also watch the live stream of the Board meeting on the GIPS YouTube page HERE.
  
  
  • Full Presentation from Superintendent Matt Fisher & Board Discussion - 12.12.2024 - HERE
    
    

• The GIPS Board of Education may hold a Special Meeting later in December where one of the Action Items will be to make a voting decision on the operation of Seedling Mile Elementary for 2025-26.  As with the regular meeting, folks are welcome to attend, share during public comment time, and/or watch the live stream on the GIPS YouTube page.
  
  
  • Special Board Meeting scheduled for Tuesday, December 17, 2024 at 5:15 p.m. at the Kneale Administration Building
     
    • Live Stream & Agenda may be found HERE
      
      
• Agendas, Notes, and Board Brief Newsletter recaps may be accessed through the GIPS district website at www.gips.org/board. 

What are the Seedling Mile Elementary Demographics?  (added 12.12.2024):

• 82 students are currently enrolled in 1st - 5th Grade at Seedling Mile Elementary.
  • Approximately 25% of enrolled students are opted-in from outside the district or an inter-district transfer (living outside the Seedling Mile attendance area).
    
    
• 10 full-time staff are dedicated to the Seedling Mile building.
  
  
• Currently 12 “shared” Staff Members from across the district to meet the equivalent of 4 full-time roles in the building.
  
  • Traveling specialists for P.E., Music, SECA, Media, and other roles.
    
    
• Additional school and student demographics may be found on the Nebraska Department of Education (NDE) dashboard HERE. 
  
  

How is operating Seedling Mile financially inefficient?

Regarding cost, it is considerably more expensive to operate a small, one-unit Elementary school compared to the other 13 Elementary schools in GIPS.  Here a financial snapshot:

• Nebraska Department of Education (NDE) Cost Per Pupil:
  • Nebraska Per Pupil Cost average:  $15,082 (per 2023 NDE dashboard)
    
    
• GIPS Cost Per Pupil: 
  • GIPS District:  $15,027 (per 2023 NDE dashboard)
  • Seedling Mile:  $17,753 (per 2023 NDE dashboard w/ Kindergarten)
    
    
• Projected Cost Per Pupil:
  • Seedling Mile:  $22,680 (projected for FY 24-25 actual grades offered)
  • Seedling Mile:  $21,288 (projected for FY 24-25 as if Kindergarten)
  • Seedling Mile:  $28,253 (projected for FY 25-26) 
    
    

How much would GIPS save if Seedling Mile closed and reallocated resources throughout the district?

Here is a snapshot of projected savings in today’s dollars:

• General Fund Projected Savings:
  • $373,707.72 (annually)
  • Total includes Expenses, FICA & NPERS
  • Projections do NOT include any savings for the nine Seedling Mile teachers as they will likely continue serving classrooms elsewhere in the district.
    
    
• Nutrition Services Fund Projected Savings:
  • $38,802.62 (annually)
    
    

How is Seedling Mile operationally inefficient?

• Seedling Mile is the only one-unit (one classroom per grade) school in the GIPS district.
  
  
• 82 students are currently enrolled in Seedling Mile Elementary with approximately 25% of enrolled students living outside the Seedling Mile neighborhood boundaries.
  
  
• Seedling Mile currently does not have a Kindergarten class.  Due to a low enrollment of nine Kindergarten students at Seedling Mile Elementary, the district made the decision to consolidate those students with a Kindergarten class at Stolley Park Elementary, which had available capacity and provided an efficient way to meet staffing needs.
  
  
• Currently utilizing 12 “shared” Staff Members from across the district to meet the equivalent of 4 full-time roles in the building.
  
  • Traveling specialists for P.E., Music, SECA, Media, and other roles.
    
    
• Some Special Education services are limited to online only due to staffing and scheduling limitations.
  
  
• Programming inconsistencies due to limitations of being a single-unit school.
  
  • Limited in-class support
  • Scheduling dictates support for students rather than student need. (Balancing with two other schools and staff, limited staff for WIN time, etc.)
    
    
• Administrator also encompasses the Academic Coaching and G&T Instruction roles. 
  
  

What is next for current Seedling Mile Students & Families?

For 2024-25:

• Students currently enrolled at Seedling Mile Elementary will finish the 2024-25 school year as planned.  Our commitment is to make this a great year and to finish strong to help preserve the lasting legacy of Seedling Mile Elementary.
  
  

For 2025-26:

• One option would be for Seedling Mile Elementary to be absorbed into the Dodge Elementary attendance area.  Meaning, students who live in the Seedling Mile area may automatically enroll in Dodge Elementary.
  
  
• Families would also be given an early special transfer request window.
  
  
• Current 5th Graders would continue the normal process of enrolling in 6th Grade at Barr Middle School.
  
  

What other Elementary Schools are in the GIPS District?

• GIPS operates 14 Elementary Schools across the community of Grand Island.
  
  
• Other than Seedling Mile, the other Elementary Schools range in enrollment.  Some schools are two-unit schools (two classes per grade); some are three-unit; some are four-unit schools. 
   
• A full list of schools along with boundary maps are available on our district website HERE. 
  
  

What are class sizes like for Elementary School classrooms at GIPS? 

GIPS operates with the following class-size capacities for Elementary schools:

• Pre Kindergarten: 20 students/session
• Kindergarten and 1st: 19-23/class
• 2nd to 3rd: 21-25/class
• 4th to 5th: 23-27/class
  
  

Class sizes vary between these grade-level ranges depending on enrollment at the school.  Some classes are at the lower end of the grad-level range, others are on the higher-end of the grade level range; it all depends on the school enrollment and how many units (or classrooms per grade) each school building may accommodate.

Is there room for Dodge Elementary to welcome more students from Seedling Mile?

Yes.  Dodge Elementary School has the capacity to operate as a four-unit school (four classrooms per grade level). 

Currently, Dodge is operating as a three-unit school per their enrollment and staffing needs. 

Here are the current class size averages by grade for Dodge Elementary as of early December 2024:

• Kindergarten:  22.7
• 1st Grade:  22.7
• 2nd Grade:  19 
• 3rd Grade:  20.8
• 4th Grade:  24.7
• 5th Grade:  20 
  
  

Depending on next school year’s enrollment (2025-26), Dodge may be prepared to operate as a four-unit school to ensure class sizes remain consistent and within our established ranges. 

What are the class size averages for all GIPS Elementary Schools?  (added 12.12.2024):

Class sizes vary between these grade-level ranges depending on enrollment at the school and how many units (or classrooms per grade) each school building may accommodate.

• A full list of GIPS Elementary Class Size Averages as of December 2024 may be found HERE. 

What is next for current Seedling Mile Staff?

• Staff would be granted priority for their preferential placement as positions open in the district.
  
  
• Mrs. Wemhoff would have the opportunity to serve in a GIPS Administrator capacity where needed.
  
  

What is next for the Seedling Mile building?

If the Board of Education decides that GIPS will not operate Seedling Mile Elementary as a school for the 2025-26 school year, GIPS will continue to retain the facility for the immediate future.

Why?

The district believes there might be an opportunity to repurpose the Seedling Mile building for other uses that may be meaningful to students, the district, and the community.  But that discovery process takes time.

It is a smart decision to hold onto the building and keep it usable at a base level while taking careful consideration for the future of the facility. 

Questions?

Students & Families may reach out directly to Mrs. Kelli Wemhoff, Seedling Mile Principal, at kewemhoff@gips.org or 308.385.5910 for support.  We also have counseling resources available.

Community members with additional questions may reach out to the GIPS District Office at communications@gips.org. or 308.385.5900.