Olympia School Board Approves School Consolidations

Hello Olympia School District community,

I am writing to share an important update following tonight's Olympia School Board meeting.

On Thursday, November 12, the Olympia School Board voted to approve the closure and consolidation of LP Brown, Madison and McKenny elementary schools at the conclusion of the 2026-27 school year. Students attending these schools will transition to Centennial, Garfield, Hansen, Pioneer and Roosevelt elementary schools beginning in the 2027-28 school year.

The issues surrounding this decision have been discussed for many years, including most recently through several months of extensive analysis, public meetings, community engagement, and consideration of feedback, as our district has worked to address declining enrollment, financial challenges, and the long-term sustainability of our schools.

I recognize how difficult this news will be for many in our community, particularly the students, families and staff who have built meaningful connections within these schools. Our schools are much more than buildings. They are places where friendships are formed, traditions are celebrated and a sense of belonging is created. This decision does not diminish the importance of these school communities or the impact they have had on generations of students, staff and families.

We also recognize that students may have questions, concerns or strong feelings about these changes. Support is available in our schools. Our counselors and school staff are ready to listen, answer questions and help students process. We encourage families to reach out to their child's school if they feel additional support would be helpful.

What happens next?
District leadership and building principals have begun preliminary work on transition planning to help ensure we are prepared to support students, families and staff. With the board's decision now made, that work will continue in earnest with students, staff and families as we move toward implementation for the 2027-28 school year.

Our focus will be on supporting students' academic, social and emotional needs, maintaining important school connections and helping our school communities navigate the changes ahead. This includes continued collaboration with principals and staff, as well as opportunities to celebrate the schools' histories and traditions with their communities.

We know there will be many questions about student placement, staffing, transportation and other aspects of this transition. While we do not have every answer today, we are committed to providing clear, timely information as plans are finalized.

With that in mind, to help our community navigate this process, we will be launching dedicated School Transition Resources pages for families and staff next week. These pages will provide information, guidance and resources to support our school communities through the transition. These webpages will serve as the primary source of accurate, timely and up-to-date information throughout the transition process. We will send a separate communication to all staff and families next week when these webpages launch, with direct links and additional information about the resources available.

As I've shared previously, wherever our students go to school, they are surrounded by caring classmates, supportive families and compassionate, dedicated staff. Thank you for your continued commitment to our students and to one another.

Patrick Murphy

Superintendent