Elementary Reconfigruation

Frequently Asked Questions

Why are we shifting to 3 elementary schools?
The enrollment and utilization report from RSP clearly shows a decline in enrollment and under-utilization of our buildings. With fewer students enrolling, the district is facing a major funding gap, and this step helps address that challenge while keeping resources focused where students need them most. A shift to 3 elementaries will allow us to more effectively support students by increasing access to shared resources and staff and also ensure equity in class sizes across the district.

Why is Eisenhower the Elementary School that is being repurposed?
The Board thoroughly evaluated all of the buildings to determine which path to take. Ultimately, Eisenhower was named because the combination of LES, RES, and WES provides enough space to transition to 3 elementary schools for SY2026/27 and also allows the Eisenhower site to be repurposed into the Middle School, which is what the Board named as their long-range plan.

What school will my student go to next year?

On March 9, 2026, the Board of Education approved the updated boundaries for SY2026-27 and beyond. 

The new boundaries are available on our website. This page has both a static and interactive map: https://www.mcpherson.com/apps/pages/enrollment

How do I request that my student(s) attend a different elementary school than the one assigned?
The process for requesting a different elementary school is currently being finalized. The Board of Education’s approval of the new boundaries allows our administrative team to complete the details of that process. Our principals and district leaders are working carefully to ensure the process is clear and fair for families. Additional information will be shared by April 15.

My student does not live in the district. Which school will they attend?
The process for handling out-of-district students who currently attend USD 418 is still being finalized. We will share more information about that process with families by April 15.

I have questions or concerns about transportation for my student(s). What should I do?
Please contact Ms. Andrea Hundley ([email protected] or 620-241-6830) for direct support on transportation questions.

When will teachers and classrooms be assigned?
Classroom assignments will follow our standard process and be announced in August. 

Where will the specialized programs, like Life Skills, be housed?
As of now, the Life Skills program will transition to Washington alone with the inclusive playground. This is not a final decision. Additional conversations are occurring around physical classroom and building needs and we will communicate with families in that program directly once we have definitive answers. 

Why were these boundaries chosen?
Our demographer partner, RSP Associates, engaged in a multi-step process to gather feedback from building and district administrators as well as the community on different boundary options. The meeting documents linked below outline the boundary criteria that guided their work. Using this input, the proposed boundaries were designed to balance enrollment across schools, support equitable learning environments, and provide a smooth transition to a three-elementary school system.  

How many sections of PreK will MPS have?
For SY2026/27, MPS will have 8 sections of PreK (serving 3 and 4-year-olds). For questions about this program, please contact Mr. David Brock at 620-241-9590.

Will the same services, programs, and support be provided?
Yes, our driving motivation behind this change is to ensure that all students continue to have access to the amazing programs like art, music, and physical education they have today. This adjustment will allow us to better align support staff, like paraeducators, physical therapists, occupational therapists, and speech language pathologists, to most effectively support students.

All existing Individualized Education Programs, 504 plans, medical plans, and other accommodations will transfer with students to their new home schools and staff will work to ensure a smooth transition.

What is happening with the staff?
There are no plans, beyond natural attrition, to downsize our workforce at this time. Realignment and reorganization will be district-wide, which means we will conduct data-gathering to determine grade level or subject area preferences from all elementary staff and then work to build the 3 best teams possible. The priority and goal will be to ensure we have staff where students most need them, and the reconfiguration should help us better align our special education support positions to meet students' IEP needs and create efficiencies that benefit all student

What will class sizes be?
The configuration will have the ability to have 6 or 7 sections across each grade level. The “extra” 7th sections will be assigned for bigger cohorts. For instance, next year’s 1st grade has 140 students, so having 7 sections would mean 20/class, whereas 2nd grade will have 112, so 6 sections would mean 18-19/class.

What if elementary enrollment goes back up in the future?
It is possible that enrollment grows. The long-range plan names a reconfiguration of the middle school to be a 5/6 -7/8 center in the event that occurs. It would require an additional project to expand the new middle school to support this, and, in doing so would create two separate educational spaces that share common facilities like gyms.