The Chadron School Board is studying the possibility of reconfiguring its elementary schools.

Superintendent Dr. Sherlock Hirning proposed during Monday night's board meeting that the district change its grade configuration to exclusively third and fourth graders at Kenwood Elementary; and exclusively kindergarten through second grade at East Ward Elementary.

The school board and administration have discussed the proposal or similar ones each of the past years after other area districts took made similar moves.

Hirning said the other districts have found that, after some "initial pains," bunching grades together by school was "the right thing to do."

He also said the change "would be in the best interest of the kids and the community.”

His recommendation is based primarily on finances, and the amount of money the district projects to receive from the state over the next few years.

He said finances are going to be tight, and the district should know by March 1 the state aid figures, which Hirning believes could be over $100,000 less than this year.

Hirning pointed out the future need for additional space at both East Ward and Kenwood. He said once the space issue is addressed, the district should consider moving fifth graders from the middle school to Kenwood Elementary.

Hirning's proposal also calls for absorbing the costs of adding 2 additional teachers by limiting the ability of students inside Chadron to have unlimited transfers to the district's 4 rural attendance centers.