Geary USD 475 leaders are adamant the school district is not closing the Larry Dixon Center for Innovative Studies. There will be some restructuring.

Six members of the public spoke during a public forum at the Board of Education meeting Monday in support of keeping the facility open for the 113 students served there. One of those, Lisa Davis, talked with JC Post. “They sent home letters with our students stating that they were sending 113 back to the main high school.” Davis noted they were just being mixed back in with the general student population with two paraprofessionals employed to keep up with them. “They said that they didn’t have the funding to continue the Dixon Center.”

But JC Post talked with the superintendent of schools Dr. Corbin Witt as well.  He confirmed the plan is to look at each individual and determine what is in their best interest. He noted some of the students interviewed felt the Dixon Center was not the best place for them, while others did. “We want to look at each students, find out what is the best placement for that student, put them in the place they’ll be successful.  But when we have students not making progress toward graduation, even if they enjoy the Dixon Center, if they’re not making progress toward graduation we have to try something different.”

Witt added he was unaware of any letter that had been sent out, noted he hadn’t seen one, and would be checking into it.

Dr. Beth Hudson reported to the board that the intention of the staff is to restructure for the success of as many students possible. She said in the early fall district officials learned 40 students were not on target to graduate and that raised their level of concern.