Closure of several Will Co. schools upsetting parents
CHICAGO (CBS) -- Parents of some Will County students are frustrated by the decision last night to close some of their schools.
The district said it had to make the hard choices in the face of dwindling enrollment.
CBS 2's Sara Machi learned almost nobody is happy with the change.
"They do these skits. And I just love it. I love their little skits And some of the kids are really talented."
Will County mom Lisa Brace looks over the photos of her twin girls' winter performance at Arbury Hills Elementary School, just one day after the board voted to close their school.
A decision that didn't make sense to her when she looked around.
"It's packed. It was packed shoulder to shoulder in there. And that doesn't seem like an empty school to me," Brace said.
She was one of the parents to turn out to Summit Hill District 161's Wednesday night meeting, urging the board to keep Arbury Hills and Frankfort Square Elementary open. Pleas that ultimately failed.
Superintendent, Paul McDermott talked with CBS 2 off-camera to explain the decision.
He said the district is dealing with dwindling enrollment numbers and certain locations have the lowest student population and the highest cost per pupil, sometimes $5,000 more per student year each than their district counterpart.
McDermott says they have some people interested in buying or leasing the unused buildings -- but nothing set in stone.
Consolidation wouldn't take place until next school year -- a move Brace still hopes to avoid by taking their concerns to the state board of education.
What's next?
"I think we start making some calls," Brace said.
The superintendent said their next move is to create an "implementation plan," something they hope to make public at a previously scheduled meeting that is set for February 10.
