By MIKE COURSON
Great Bend Post
It is difficult to move forward in times of uncertainty. The USD 112 Central Plains Board of Education can do just that after patrons voted against disorganizing the district Tuesday. Superintendent Bill Lowry said it will be back to business as usual.
"There were no expectations, but it is back to our district as we are right now," he said. "We'll continue to educate all our students."
With the closure of Wilson High School at the end of the 2023 school year, the district will still control Central Plains High School in Claflin, Central Plains Elementary in Holyrood, and Wilson Elementary School in Wilson. Lowry said any loss of former Wilson High School students that transfer out of the district will not make an immediate impact on the district's finances. Sixth-three students enrolled in grades 7-12 last year at Wilson Junior-Senior High, amounting to approximately $305,000 in BASE state aid funding to the district.
"We fund off the previous year or the second-previous year, so we're funded for two years on the current student count," Lowry said. "We're going to come together as a district and educate all our students."
Across all five counties included in USD 112, Tuesday's vote for disorganization failed 1,179 to 587. Wilson patrons voted 514-30 in favor of disorganization, compared to 73 votes for disorganization among the remainder of the district.