Letter to the Editor: Keeping Eugene Field Elementary open means protecting lifeline for students

The views I share here reflect a letter I sent to Hannibal Public School’s board members, with some modifications to protect my child’s privacy from today’s online world. I planned to share my letter at the board meeting, but understanding that public comments won’t occur before the vote, I felt it was important to share this now:

I’m writing not just as a concerned parent and community member but as someone who has experienced firsthand the life-changing support that Eugene Field Elementary offers students. I urge the board to reconsider the proposal to close Eugene Field, a school that serves as a lifeline for many students in our district — students for whom other schools simply don’t have the appropriate resources to support.

Eugene Field serves as an anchor in our community and its neighborhood. It’s a place where students can walk to school — a privilege that gives children a sense of independence, safety and connection. For many families, walking to school isn’t just about proximity. It’s about building community, establishing daily routines and having a school that feels like home. 

By closing this school, you’re not just closing a building. You’re removing that crucial, walkable access which disproportionately affects low-income families who often don’t have the resources to arrange daily transportation. When attendance is already a top concern for the district, this closure seems counterproductive.

Furthermore, Eugene Field is home to an exceptional behavioral support team that helps students with challenges thrive. This team provides crucial, specialized support to students facing behavioral difficulties. Moving these students into other schools without the same level of support could make it harder for them to succeed in the classroom. Reallocating students without guaranteeing they’ll have the same resources and support does not uphold our district’s values of equity and inclusion. 

Whether or not our culture universally upholds equity and inclusion as pillars of human dignity, these principles are non-negotiable in a public institution created to serve all children.

On a personal note, I find myself reflecting on how my family’s experience might have been different if we had known about Eugene Field’s resources earlier. My son faced significant behavioral challenges throughout elementary school, and despite the incredible effort of his previous school, they ultimately couldn’t provide the specialized support he needed. 

By the time we discovered the resources available at Eugene Field, the emotional toll had already accumulated. We found a way forward with online schooling, but I can’t help but wish we had known about the support available at Eugene Field much sooner — perhaps in second, third or even fourth grade.

Additionally, the flexibility and support afforded to me by my employer as we moved to online school was a privilege most working parents do not have. Removing these students from a place equipped to help them will almost certainly harm their development, well-being and academic progress. They won’t receive the same level of support elsewhere, at no fault of the other amazing schools, which could mean they fall through the cracks, unable to thrive in environments that don’t have the appropriate staff, funding or resources to accommodate their needs.

Closing Eugene Field doesn’t just displace students; it strips them of their opportunity to feel understood, supported and valued to the fullest capacity. This move would deny children a fair chance to succeed, to be in a place that truly knows them and their stories and how to help them grow. I know firsthand what it’s like to search for that support, only to find it after much damage has already been done. 

Please don’t force other families into that position by closing the one school where children like mine can flourish.

I urge the board to consider alternatives that allow Eugene Field to remain open. The school’s impact goes beyond test scores or budgets. It provides irreplaceable hope, stability and growth for children who might otherwise struggle in silence.

Thank you for considering the real-life impact this decision will have on some of our most vulnerable students.

Stephanie Himmel
Hannibal, Missouri