Emotions ran high Tuesday night during a three-hour board meeting at John Adams Academy’s Lincoln campus, where trustees debated whether to consolidate high school students from Lincoln into the school’s Roseville campus.<\/p>\n
Dozens of parents and students packed the Lincoln gymnasium, many voicing strong opposition to the proposal.<\/p>\n
“Progress should not come at the expense of the families who built this community,” one parent said during public comment.<\/p>\n
According to Superintendent Dr. Troy Henke, the Lincoln campus has operated at a deficit for the past three years and is facing a projected $950,000 shortfall this year.<\/p>\n
“We’re facing a financial reality,” Henke told attendees. “We have a lot of classroom space here that’s being used for high school, but the classrooms aren’t full.”<\/p>\n
The Lincoln campus currently serves 124 students. Henke said the school would need about 100 additional students to move into positive financial territory.<\/p>\n
“We’re looking at putting the school in the positive. I need 100 scholars to put us in the positive and then we can start working our way out,” he said.<\/p>\n
In an email sent to parents on Friday, Henke wrote that consolidating programs would create a more comprehensive and robust high school experience for students at both campuses. However, he emphasized that financial stability is driving the discussion.<\/p>\n
For many students, the issue goes beyond budget numbers.<\/p>\n
“I would either have to carpool with a friend or get some sort of shuttle or bus there,” said junior Mirianna Stokes.<\/p>\n
Another student, Fedek Saleh, said he does not have access to a car.<\/p>\n
“I don’t really have a car, so either I would have to find some kind of bus or transport of some sort and even that I don’t think I’ll be able to do,” Saleh said.<\/p>\n
Later, she added, “I know for a fact I do not want to leave the school. The school has done so much for me and I don’t want to leave it just like this.”<\/p>\n
By the end of the meeting, trustees had not reached a final decision. The board voted to push the decision back two weeks to further explore potential transportation options for displaced students and continue reviewing financial data.<\/p>\n
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