Petition to Keep Finley Elementary School Open
We, the undersigned parents, guardians, and community members, strongly oppose the proposed closure of Finley Elementary School.

The district has cited a budget deficit and enrollment concerns as justification for this decision. However, the facts do not support closing Finley Elementary, and doing so would unfairly harm students, families, and the surrounding community.

1. Enrollment at Finley Elementary Does Not Justify Closure
Finley Elementary currently serves 484 students, demonstrating that it is a well-attended and viable campus. Framing Finley as an “under-enrolled” school is misleading when compared to other district campuses:

Newman Elementary: 383 students with a capacity of 908
Clark Elementary: 384 students with a capacity of 690
These campuses operate with significantly fewer students while maintaining much larger, more expensive facilities. Closing Finley while keeping these campuses open is inconsistent and inequitable.

2. Misuse of Academic Performance Data
The district has referenced Finley Elementary’s C rating from last year as part of the rationale for closure. This is deeply unfair.

That rating reflects a period of faulty leadership under a former principal, not the true potential or dedication of Finley’s students, teachers, and families. One or two year of data—under unstable leadership—should not be used to justify a permanent and irreversible decision like closing a school campus.

Finley Elementary deserves the opportunity to grow, improve, and be evaluated based on current leadership and sustained progress, not past administrative failures.

3. Closing Finley Harms Students and the Community
Closing Finley Elementary would:

Disrupt the education and emotional well-being of hundreds of students
Force families to relocate to unfamiliar campuses
Overcrowd other schools or increase transportation burdens
Undermine trust between the district and the community
Schools are not just buildings—they are community anchors.

4. We Urge the District to Explore Other Solutions
We strongly urge the district to explore alternative solutions to address the budget deficit, including:

Redistricting or boundary adjustments
Consolidating underutilized space at larger campuses
Administrative cost reductions
Strategic enrollment planning
Closing a successful, populated elementary school should be the last resort, not the first option.

Our Request
We respectfully but firmly ask the district to:

Immediately remove Finley Elementary from closure consideration
Stop using last year’s C rating as justification
Engage families and the community in transparent discussions
Pursue alternative, data-driven solutions that do not harm students
Do not close Finley Elementary School.
Our students deserve stability, fairness, and a future—right where they are.