Oldham-Ramona and Rutland residents hear more about proposed consolidation plan

Three community meetings were held over this past weekend in Oldham, Ramona, and Rutland to update residents on the proposed consolidation of the Oldham-Ramona and Rutland School Districts. 

A committee of fourteen representing both school districts have been meeting to discuss the consolidation.  During Friday’s community meeting at the Rutland School, Tom Oster with Dakota Education Consulting told those in attendance that both of the schools’ boards have to vote for the consolidation plan for it to move forward.  If they do, Oster explained where it would go from there.

Oster said that if the consolidation passes by votes in both school districts, then a decision will have to be made as to whether a new school would be built and where that would be located. He said that they have visited with several different landowners in the area where it would be suitable to locate a school, and so far no one has been interested in selling their land for it.  Oster said there are two parcels of land that architects have said would be suitable, but neither landowner has agreed to sell.  Both are located along Highway 81 – one near the intersection with the oil road going to Nunda, and the other near the intersection with the oil road going to Ramona.  

Along with discussion of a possible new school’s location, Oster also outlined some of the benefits of the two districts consolidating.

Oster said that some other benefits of consolidation would be more electives for students, financial savings, and an up-to-date facility.  

Oster said that the two school boards are looking to pass the consolidation plan in either November or December in order for it to go to the state Department of Education.  He said it would likely be late February or so before the plan would be brought to a vote in each of the school districts. 

Rutland Livestream video

Oldham and Ramona Livestream video