DEKALB COUNTY, Ga. — The DeKalb County School District released a list of nearly three dozen schools on Thursday morning that could be closed or repurposed.
Administrators say hard choices have to be made to address declining employment. They say that over the last decade, they have 20,000 fewer students.
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But many parents aren’t happy at the district’s decision to close or repurpose schools.
“They don’t get to tell us what’s best for our kids. We can tell you what’s best for our kids,” Blayne Salloway told Channel 2’s Berndt Petersen.
The decisions to close or change schools have not been finalized. The school district says the list is just a potential scenario.
“These scenarios are not decisions. Not recommendations at this point, either. They are starting points for conversation. Now we need to hear from you,” Interim Superintendent Dr. Norman Sauce said.
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Dr. Sauce calls this the feedback phase, which will kick off soon with a string of public meetings.
Most of the potential closures come from elementary schools. One middle school was listed among the closing schools, but five others will be converted into elementary schools. Three high schools were listed as being converted into middle schools.
“The DeKalb School Board will do what it’s gonna do in the end, but we’re going to fight hard,” Salloway said.
The first public meeting is scheduled for Feb. 23.
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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)