Steele Elementary School is more than just a building; it is a cornerstone of our community and a place where students and families find stability, support, and a sense of belonging. The proposed consolidation of Steele threatens much more than a school building. It threatens the relationships, resources, and familiar environment that so many of our students depend on every day.

Steele serves a uniquely diverse population with significant needs. 43% of our student population receives special education services, more than 40% of our families are considered transient, 89% of our students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, and 73% of our students are students of color. These numbers represent real children and families who deserve consistency, access to resources, and an educational environment where they feel supported and valued. For students who already experience significant challenges outside the classroom, their school can be one of the few consistent and dependable places in their lives.

More than 40% of our families experience at least one school move each year. For these students, maintaining a familiar school community is especially important. Steele provides continuity, trusted relationships, and support systems that can be difficult to rebuild in a new environment. Consolidation could create additional disruption for children who already experience instability.

Our dedicated teachers and staff are another reason Steele deserves to remain open. We are proud to have a 0% excessive teacher absenteeism rate, reflecting the commitment and dedication of the educators who show up for our students every day. Steele Elementary was also recently voted one of the Top 10 Workplaces in Tucson Unified School District, demonstrating the positive culture, teamwork, and commitment that make our school special. Our staff works tirelessly to meet the individual needs of children, build meaningful relationships, and create an environment where every student has the opportunity to succeed. These relationships, along with the strong workplace culture we have built, cannot simply be transferred to another building.

Steele is also an important part of the neighborhood’s identity and community. Families, students, educators, and community members have built lasting connections here. Closing or consolidating our school could disrupt these relationships, create additional transportation challenges, impact staff positions, and place an unnecessary burden on families who already face economic and personal challenges.

We must ask: Are we making decisions based solely on numbers and buildings, or are we considering the actual children and families those decisions will affect? Our students are not just enrollment statistics. They are individuals with unique needs, circumstances, cultures, and potential. They deserve to be considered in every decision about their education.

Keeping Steele Elementary open is about protecting educational stability, supporting our most vulnerable students, preserving dedicated educators, and maintaining an important part of our community. We urge district officials and decision-makers to reconsider consolidation and recognize the lasting impact this decision could have on our students and families.

Please stand with us. Sign this petition, speak up, and help protect Steele Elementary. Our students deserve stability, our families deserve support, our educators deserve to have their school community preserved, and our neighborhood deserves a school that continues to serve generations to come.