Stimulus Watch

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[edit] General Description

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[edit] Points in Favor

Mapleton Hill Elementary is an historic school that is one of the few publicly-owned properties in the Mapleton Hill Neighborhood. As such, its playground is used as a park by children, families and pet owners; really the only open space in the neighborhood that can support these activities. The school, while it was open, was a wonderful place where children were introduced to the art of learning by some of the best teachers around. I believe it's critical that this institution remain as a place for children to begin learning and for the community to be able to gather.

The school also provided community space for a variety of non-school-operated endeavors, including kids' basketball, organization meeting space, precinct voting, etc. The school is one of the early public buildings in the City of Boulder still standing and of great interest as an historical property. The building has been updated, primarily though additions in the 1950's and the 1970's.

[edit] Points Against

"Financial solvency" was not an issue in keeping, or not keeping, Mapleton Hill Elementary open as a public school. Equalization of student populations and operating cost were both issues.

The demographics of the Boulder neighborhoods within and beyond Mapleton, that serve as the catchment area for the school, included fewer and fewer children. Families with school-age children tended to reside in greater numbers, actually and proportionately, in other communities with lower housing costs - Rock Creek, Louisville, Lafayette, etc. This was also the case with other City-of-Boulder elementary schools. Keeping all such Boulder schools open with fewer children in attendance raises the cost per child. Closing a Boulder school eased the burden.

Mapleton was the oldest school, and thus was the school closed. As an elementary school, Mapleton lacked amenities that new schools were built with, so it was more expensive than the newest schools to operate. A generation ago, wiring for internet access and computers was not a necessity; now, it is. Space and staffing for after-school childcare was not a necessity; now, it is. Heating and air-conditioning needs are different as the climate changes and with different building materials and techniques. Common accessibility attributes for persons with disabilities were not designed into older buildings. And so forth and so on.