The Syracuse school board and a crowded room of parents heard a presentation from Superintendent Dan Lowengard about closing schools. Bellevue Middle School, Elmwood Elementary School and Levy may be used as swing space for students, while H.W. Smith and Dr. Weeks are undergoing renovations.
The shuffling of students, involves a number of district schools. Here is the breakdown:
H.W. Smith:
K-5 students will go to Elmwood for 1 year while the school is being renovated, they will then return to the new building.
6th and 7th grade students will go to Levy for 1 year
8th graders will go to Nottingham. Lowengard says they won't be in the mix of the high school students, but they can then join the ranks as 9th graders at Nottingham the following year.
Elmwood students will go to Danforth, and Danforth over time will become a K-8 school
Dr. Weeks:
K-4 students will go to Bellevue Middle School.
5th graders will go to Lincoln and can then stay there for 6, 7 and 8th grade.
Meantime, Bellevue students will go to Blodgett and form a new middle school there.
Elementary kids at Blodgett will go to Seymour and Delaware Academies.
McKinley Brighton students can feed into Clary Middle School which will now separate boys and girls in the classroom starting in the fall.
Lowengard says he knows this is difficult, especially because parents and students love their schools, but says the district will work with families during this transition. Closing a school will save $1.5 million a year for the district, and it is facing a $50 million deficit in the 2011-2012 school year. Lowengard says that hole could force hundreds of layoffs.
Lowengard will present this plan to parents on Tuesday, January 18th at Corcoran High School at 5:30. The Superintendent's proposal needs school board approval, it's expected to vote on it Friday January 21.
