Pond, Southwood Early Childhood Centers in Bloomington to close

Some students in Bloomington public schools will be in different buildings next school year as part of an ongoing solution to work through budget issues.

Members of the Bloomington School Board unanimously voted Monday to close the buildings housing Pond and Southwood Early Childhood Centers on Monday. Those programs will be consolidated into the Washburn Elementary School.

A letter sent to Bloomington families says roughly 300 students currently attending Washburn Elementary will join Normandale Hills, Poplar Bridge and Valey View elementary schools.

Some parents raised concerns and called on the board to intervene, but district officials said the consolidation plan made sense because of lower enrollment, the loss of pandemic funding and the potential costs of refurbishing old buildings.

CLICK HERE for additional information about the board’s budget plan.