Our beloved Rountree Elementary School in Springfield, Missouri; a historical gem in the heart of our community, is under threat of closure. Our neighborhood and school's namesake, Joseph Rountree was the very first schoolteacher in our city. Removing education from an area named for the community's first educator is not how we honor our city's history. The school building itself is not merely a place of learning; it is a vital piece of our neighborhood's identity.

This letter, below, written by one of Rountree's own says everything.

   We write as neighbors, parents, alumni, and members of the Springfield community to ask that Springfield Public Schools commit to keeping Rountree Elementary open and develop a clear plan to preserve, renovate, and modernize it. We understand the district faces difficult facilities decisions. But we believe Rountree deserves thoughtful, transparent planning for reinvestment that considers not only the condition
of a building, but also the value of the school to its neighborhood and to Springfield as a whole.
   Rountree is one of Springfield’s distinctive historic, walkable neighborhoods. Its elementary school is central to the connected community that has grown around it over generations. Neighborhood schools help make places like Rountree possible: children walk to school, families know one another, and neighbors invest in the community around them. These are assets to the entire city, not simply to those who live
within the school’s attendance boundaries.
   Springfield’s current comprehensive plan, Forward SGF, calls for creating “Complete Neighborhoods,” where schools, parks, and other everyday amenities are within walking distance of residents’ homes. Rountree already embodies that vision. Preserving and investing in its elementary school would support the city’s own long-term goals for strong, connected, walkable neighborhoods. Rountree also serves a distinctive educational purpose beyond its neighborhood. SPS describes itself as“The District of Choice” and highlights International Baccalaureate (IB) education among its learning
pathways. On its Choice Programs website, SPS reports that more than 10% of its K–12 students attend IBschools. Rountree is one of only three SPS elementary schools offering the IB Primary Years Programme. How will the district sustain and strengthen this educational pathway through long-term investment in Rountree, a school that already delivers a program SPS actively promotes?
   Rountree neighbors have organized to protect their school before, and earlier district planning appeared to envision reinvestment rather than closure. In 2016, SPS recommended renovation and expansion of Rountree; renovation was also considered in the 2022 planning process. We ask the district to explain what became of those plans, why the work was not funded, and to what extent delayed investment has contributed to the condition of the building today. In recent years, SPS has undertaken major elementary-school building projects with published budgets of
more than $20 million apiece: Boyd ($20.34 million), Delaware ($23.78 million), and York (approximately $20.96 million). These are the district’s own project figures. Rountree, meanwhile, has waited for renovations recommended years ago. Residents of the Rountree area traditionally show strong
civic engagement and have voted in favor of broader district-wide SPS bond proposals, such as the successful Proposition S initiatives in 2019 ($168 million) and 2023 ($220 million). Support for a future bond would be challenging for SPS if Rountree Elementary is closed. Is it really inconceivable that a fraction of that level of investment could thoughtfully renovate and modernize Rountree—bringing it up to current standards while preserving its history, its International Baccalaureate program, and thewalkable neighborhood it anchors? We ask SPS to explain why Rountree’s proposed improvements have not been prioritized and what a meaningful reinvestment would require.
   We are not asking SPS to ignore the financial realities of maintaining its schools. We are asking the district to take closing Rountree off the table and provide a clear, publicly accessible plan for renovating and modernizing the existing school. That plan should include realistic costs, potential funding sources, a timeline, and any needed improvements or expansion, along with long-term operating and enrollment considerations. We hope the district will seriously consider how Rountree might be renewed as a modernschool while preserving the historic character that makes it special.
   We also invite district leaders, board members, advisory council members, and consultants to visit Rountree and experience the community firsthand. Our annual Halloween parade brings together hundreds of neighbors and families. Along the parade route, many homes display Keep Rountree Open signs. Seeing that gathering and those streets would help convey both what this neighborhood stands to lose and what Springfield stands to gain by investing in its school.
   We are also concerned about the limited opportunity for public input. With community meetings held October 19–20 and the feedback deadline falling on November 1, immediately following Halloween, residents have had less than two weeks to consider decisions that could affect our neighborhoods for generations. We respectfully ask SPS to extend the public feedback period and ensure these important decisions are not rushed.
   Please make the underlying facilities analyses and cost assumptions available to the community; allow meaningful time for residents and families to respond; and ensure that this letter is shared with the board, advisory council, and facilities consultants. We would welcome a conversation with district leaders about a constructive path forward for Rountree.
   The question isn’t simply what it costs to keep Rountree open, but what it might cost Springfield to lose it.
Rountree has been worth saving before. We believe it is worth investing in now.
Sincerely,
Rountree Neighbors, Parents, Alumni, and Community Supporters

Please join us in our efforts to save this valued community landmark by signing this petition. Together, we can make our voices heard and protect the future of Rountree Elementary School for generations to come.