Dubuque Community School Board votes to close Hoover

Hoover Elementary School in Dubuque will close at the conclusion of the current school year. Dubuque Community School Board members on Monday night unanimously voted to approve the closure, which Superintendent Amy Hawkins asked the board to consider last month due to financial concerns and the school’s declining enrollment. District officials have said closing the school will save the district about $1 million per year in staffing costs, as current Hoover staff will fill positions across the district that are open due to resignations or retirements. The school currently employs 44 staff, and the district expects to be able to place all who wish to remain with the district in other positions, though that is not guaranteed. Students from the school will be transferred to Irving, Kennedy, Table Mound and Carver elementary schools.