DEKALB COUNTY, Ga. — DeKalb County parents are learning more about potential school closures in the district’s first open meeting.
Earlier this month, school district leaders published a list of 27 schools that may close along with a list of eight schools to repurpose.
The latest on the parents fight to keep them open, LIVE on Channel 2 Action News This Morning starting at 4:30 a.m.
Channel 2’s Eryn Rogers was at the meeting on Monday, where the district said they want people to understand the data and for the data team to understand the community.
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“We want to be sure we know the things from the community that the data doesn’t really tell us,” said HPM Vice President of Planning Tracy Richter.
The district hired the HPM Group, that also guided Atlanta Public Schools through their consolidation.
“It was aligning data, things like demographic enrollment, condition of the facilities, adequacy,” Richter said.
Many of the closures will affect elementary schools, while some high schools will become middle schools and middle schools will become elementary schools.
“My major concern is for Redan Elementary School. I own a home directly in front of there,” parent Robynne Lopez said.
Lopez said she doesn’t want to live near what could potentially become an empty building.
“We want to make sure we’re not attracting negative things to our community,” she said.
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During the meeting, district leaders talked about why they chose to close some schools and convert others.
“That was very insightful because we’re trying to figure out how you’re making these decisions and where all of this is coming from, and they’re explaining these little pieces,” Lopez said.
The district says it has more than 20,000 empty seats across its schools.
“I’m cautiously optimistic, but my hope is that every decision that’s made keeps students first,” said parent Dr. Charlie McAdoo.
The district will have in-person meetings the rest of the week and then will have community-specific meetings in March.
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View the full list of proposed changes below.
ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS
- Ashford Park Elementary School
- Bob Mathis Elementary School
- Brocklett Elementary School
- Browns Mill Elementary School
- Canby Lane Elementary School
- Cedar Grove Elementary School
- Columbia Elementary School
- Evansdale Elementary School
- Flat Shoals Elementary School
- Henderson Mill Elementary School
- Kelly Lake Elementary School
- Kingsley Elementary School
- McLendon Elementary School
- McNair Elementary School
- Midvale Elementary School
- Oak Grove Elementary School
- Redan Elementary School
- Robert Shaw Theme Elementary School
- Rock Chapel Elementary School
- Rowland Elementary School
- Stone Mill Elementary School
- Stone Mountain Elementary School
- Stoneview Elementary School
- Toney Elementary School
- Vanderlyn Elementary School
- Woodridge Elementary School
MIDDLE SCHOOLS
- Bethune Middle School (converting to elementary school)
- Cedar Grove Middle School
- Champion Theme Middle School (converting to elementary school)
- Lithonia Middle School (converting to elementary school)
- McNair Middle School (converting to elementary school)
- Miller Grove Middle School (converting to elementary school)
HIGH SCHOOLS
- Cedar Grove High School (converting to middle school)
- Lithonia High School (converting to middle school)
- Towers High School (converting to middle school)
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