The Enid News and Eagle, Enid, OK

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April 29, 2011

Vote June 14 to decide Wakita school annexation to Medford

By Phyllis Zorn, Staff Writer Enid News and Eagle

ENID — If a June 14 vote goes as expected, students in Wakita Public Schools will become students of the Medford School District next fall.

Voters in the Wakita district will go to the polls June 14 on a ballot question whether the Wakita district should be annexed into the Medford district.

According to the Wakita school superintendent, dwindling enrollment is the culprit in the move to join forces with Medford.

“We’re under 50 at the moment and looking to be down in the high 30s next year,” said Superintendent Gerald Millers. “That’s what prompted the move.”

Manchester and Gore schools earlier were annexed into the Wakita district, so annexation is not a new concept to Wakita patrons.

Miller’s outlook on the future for Wakita students if voters turn down the annexation is gloomy.

“If they vote against it, we would anticipate calling all our staff back and trying to open our school,” Miller said. “The feeling is that the state would step in and try to close it down due to inability to meet credential standards.”

For the kids’ sake, Miller hopes the vote is for annexation.

“The bottom line is, this is going to be the best thing for the kids,” Miller said.

Miller said enrollment has gone down gradually each year, and elementary classes all are doubled up in order to keep the school doors open.

If the vote is in favor of annexation, the property and buildings will go to the Medford district for determination of what to do with them. However, the two school boards have reached certain understandings about some of the property, Miller said.

A kindergarten through fourth grade elementary school likely will continue to meet in Wakita as long as there are enough students there to justify it, Miller said.

Some buildings used by both the school and the community will remain open to the community, Miller said. That includes a building commonly used for parties, banquets and the like, an indoor swimming pool and the underground band room that will remain available as a storm shelter.

Additionally, some memorabilia items Medford won’t need could remain in the hands of community members, Miller said.

As for the school faculty and staff, Medford has agreed to consider the Wakita employees in the event of openings, Miller said.

Medford Superintendent Mickey Geurkink said his district looks forward to welcoming students from Wakita.

“I think both boards have been very diligent in trying to make a smooth transition happen,” Geurkink said.

Geurkink said Wakita residents will always have a voice in the schools.

“We would no longer be a five-member board,” Geurkink said. “We would turn into a seven-member board, with two being from Wakita. I think that’s very important.”

He hears people in his community speak warmly of the possible annexation.

“I think the patrons of Medford are welcoming the Wakita kids with open arms,” Geurkink said. “We’ve had a very positive relationship with Wakita in the past. I think our community is very receptive to having the Wakita kids come to our school district.”

The Wakita and Medford school boards on March 24 signed a joint annexation resolution and authorized Janet Barresi, state superintendent of schools, to call for a special election, but the discussion began earlier.

“We started talking about it about two months ago, I believe,” said David Bailey, president of the Medford school board.

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