Rountree Neighbors Push to Keep School Open
Rountree families should weigh in on the district's facilities survey before it closes at 5 p.m. Sunday.
Updated on Nov. 1, 2026 in Primary Education
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Should school districts keep older neighborhood elementary schools open rather than close them?
Neighbors of Rountree Elementary in Springfield asked Springfield Public Schools to repair the school rather than close it. The Rountree Elementary is open, and no decision to close it has been made, though the district presents closure options to the school board in December.
Why it matters
Springfield Public Schools cites costly repairs and enrollment that has fallen more than 9% since 2019, with an estimated $422 million in districtwide facility needs. A consultant's assessment ranked Rountree second to last for building condition, though it did not specifically recommend closing the school.
Rountree Elementary is open and no closure decision has been made. The district estimates $422 million in facility needs, and its enrollment has dropped more than 9% since 2019.
The players
Springfield Public Schools
The district operating 30-plus schools in Springfield, Missouri, currently weighing repairs and closures amid falling enrollment.
Julie Blackmon
A Rountree neighborhood resident who helped organize the letter asking the district to renovate Rountree Elementary.
The details
Neighbors carried a "Keep Rountree Open" banner through the neighborhood's annual Halloween parade on Saturday. Neighbor Julie Blackmon helped organize a letter asking the district to renovate Rountree and take closure off the table. The district's Facility Master Plan survey closes at 5 p.m. Sunday, and district officials plan to present options to the school board in December.
Timeline
Saturday, October 31, 2026: Keep Rountree Open banner carried in the neighborhood's Halloween parade.
Sunday, November 1, 2026, 5 p.m.: Facility Master Plan survey closes.
December 2026: District presents closure options to the school board.
Spring 2027: School board expected to adopt a facilities plan.
The Home Front
Springfield Public Schools' enrollment has fallen more than 9% since 2019, and the district estimates $422 million in facility needs across its schools. Rountree's closure debate is one local expression of that districtwide pressure on aging buildings.
If you live near Rountree Elementary or have children enrolled in Springfield Public Schools, the district's Facility Master Plan survey closes at 5 p.m. Sunday, November 1. Consider submitting your input before the deadline and watch for the December school board presentation.
The takeaway
Springfield families weighing Rountree's future should note the Sunday survey deadline and the December board presentation. Keeping an eye on the district's facilities plan will show whether the school stays open or is consolidated.
What happens next
The district presents closure options to the school board in December, and the board is expected to adopt a facilities plan next spring.
Further reading
For broader context on school building decisions, see Primary Education coverage in Springfield.
More information
Take the Facility Master Plan survey from Springfield Public Schools before it closes at 5 p.m. Sunday.
Source note: This article includes information reported by Ky3.
Live Poll
Should school districts keep older neighborhood elementary schools open rather than close them?
