LAKE OSWEGO, Oregon — Some Lake Oswego families rallied Wednesday evening against potential plans to close Lake Grove Elementary School, which could become a community center or retail space in its next life.
The Lake Oswego School District said it's just an idea at this point, but some parents from various schools in the area are upset, saying the city already has a library and that this would be a huge inconvenience for students who would then have to commute 30 minutes away.
“We're shipping kids off three or four miles away across a busy intersection, and they are getting old enough to commute to school themselves," said Lucas Schoen, a Lake Grove parent. "We are doing our kids a disservice making these decisions that are not beneficial for the neighborhoods.”
Lake Oswego School District has a long-range facilities planning committee that includes parents and residents. The committee came up with this plan as a way to deal with the future challenge of having seven elementary schools but only eight elementary school properties, saying that the commercial surroundings of Lake Grove make it a good possible location for the center.
“It is in a commercial zone district," said Mary Kay Larson, the director of communications at Lake Oswego School District, "so there are more opportunities with this elementary school property than any of our other elementary school properties.”
On Thursday, the long-range facilities planning committee is having a meeting. They have until May 20 to present to the Lake Oswego School Board a finalized proposal for Lake Grove Elementary. The public will then be invited to share their comments before the school board decides in June.