Canutillo ISD asks community for input on proposed changes to schools

Canutillo ISD met with members of the community Thursday night. The goal was the get their feedback on options the district is considering for its schools. Canutillo is growing in some areas, shrinking in others. The district spoke with people who are open to change, but completely against closing schools.

People filled Canutillo High’s auditorium, wanting to give their input on how the district can alleviate schools in the area near Reyes Elementary school and Alderete Middle School. Those areas are expected to grow, meaning many more students putting those campuses over-capacity by 2020.

“Canutillo on the far northwest side is just exploding,” said District 1 Rep. Peter Svarzbein. “I think this is a really important thing to do to go and take the time now to plan for what those next five-to-10 years are going to look like.”

But other Canutillo schools are projected to have flat or declining growth. Options include creating a 9th grade center at Alderete Middle, convert the district’s middle schools into 7th-9th grade campuses, and switching Canutillo Middle to a K-8.

“I want you to tell me that you’re going to take it off the table, never to be discussed about Bill Childress, that it’s going to stay there,” said former Vinton Mayor Juvencia Rios-Ontiveros.

The district dropped the option to close Bill Childress Elementary in Vinton. Even so, it brought many people who were prepared to fight.

“Right now Vinton is a ghost-town,” said one community member. “And if you’re going to be renting and had students at that school, you would move somewhere else.”

People at the meeting told the district what options they preferred. That feedback will get complied and for the board to consider as they make their final decision.