‘This is painful for people.’ Central KY community fights to keep school open

Three years ago, the first time Larry Joe Begley ever ate at the fabled Jerry’s Restaurant in Paris as the new superintendent of Bourbon County Schools, someone asked him if North Middletown Elementary School was going to close.

The school, built in 1948, has been the subject of rumors about closure for years. Now it’s more than just conjecture.

The school will remain open for the 2026-2067 school year, but it may not operate long beyond that. A committee working on the district’s draft facility plan has listed the school “as transitional,” with money as a concern, said Begley.

“This designation simply means that in the next 4 to 6 years the plan would be to no longer operate that facility,” he said.

However, Begley said the committee does not have the authority to close a school. They simply recommend what projects and improvements should be made with the available monies. The school board would have to make the decision.

North Middletown has about 115 students. Students assigned there would be sent to two of the district’s three other elementary schools if the school board decided to close it. There are 2,200 K-12 students in the district.

“It is important to note, that from a Kentucky Department of Education standpoint, there would be no approval for a new school to be built that serves less than 300 students,” Begley said.

The possible end to the school led to a tense Wednesday night meeting at the Bourbon County High school auditorium filled with community members who don’t want the school closed.

“This is painful for people,” said Begley.

Stephanie Frazier is one of the concerned citizens.

“My concern is that the children who attend (North Middletown Elementary School) will have to be placed in schools that are already overpopulated and understaffed,” Frazier said in a message. “Not to mention the long bus routes to Paris from north Middletown. All 4 of my children attended NMES it was the best experience for them.”

Stephanie Moon, a minister who is opposed to closing the school, said closing local schools has a negative effect on small towns in Bourbon County such as North Middletown.

“Over the decades, all the schools in the small towns of Bourbon County have closed, except North Middletown Elementary. These schools were the heart beats of the town, the pride of their communities! Those closures led to the slow decline of these areas,” Moon said.

“I know the Board of Education must consider the fiscal realities of running a school, but they are not accounting for the economic domino effect this will create. Not to mention, there is a significant emotional toll on the town when pillars of our community, like local schools, close.

Financial concerns

“I understand why so many are fighting to keep that school open,” Begley told the Herald-Leader. “This conversation has never been just about a building. It is about children, community, history, and a place that has been at the heart of this community for generations.”

“I also understand the value of a small school. Smaller schools often feel like family. Students are known by name, relationships are strong, and the school becomes a gathering place that represents the identity of the community. Those are real strengths, and I would never minimize.”

Begley said he’s taking into account every story, idea and concern.

“The fact that we may ultimately arrive at a different conclusion does not mean concerns have been ignored or dismissed,” he said.

Begley said one of the greatest challenges is that the financial realities affecting the district are not as “visible or as personal as the experiences people have within a school. “

He said the district has about a $31.3 million total annual budget, and 80% of that is payroll.

“It is my fundamental belief that we could educate students and provide every staff member a place in our other facilities at a fraction of the cost,” Begley said. “We spent 1.285 million dollars to operate that facility and we could save as much as a million dollars, (or at least $800,000) if that is the ultimate decision.”

Begley said it’s not a decision about whether one community in Bourbon County matters more than another. It is a decision about how the district continues to provide a quality education for every student despite declining resources and increasing costs, he said.

On social media this week, people debated both sides of the issue.

“My hope is not necessarily that everyone agrees with my recommendation, but that everyone understands it was made thoughtfully, carefully, and with genuine concern for our students, our staff, and every community we serve,” Begley said.

Begley said if North Middletown Elementary closes, the district’s commitment to the children and the community will not end.

The committee will have another meeting for public comment at 5 p.m. on July 29

The location has not been decided.