School Closure

[Erin Rainey]

I am a parent of two kids at Ephesus Elementary. While I am obviously biased against my school, I have looked at the data and do not think it makes sense to close Ephesus.

The census data shows our area with the highest amount of growth. We have affordable housing nearby and more being built, which is much more likely to be used by families than by college students. The school closure study reflects this: Ephesus shows over a 23% growth by 2036--one of the highest growth projections (and, in fact, one of only 4 elementary schools out of 11 with projected growth).

While redistricting will adjust for some of this, it seems counterintuitive to eliminate a school in a high-growth area that also has a significant walk zone. At a time of bus driver shortages, I would think keeping transportation costs low would be a priority. Throw in rising gas prices, and it becomes even more of an issue. And, while CHCCS isn't a huge district, traffic is getting worse and will only escalate with construction for projects such as Carolina North, which will create further transportation challenges. 

I also question the criteria of location near a middle school. I am skeptical that exchanges between schools happens that often, and I also think it's a bit unfair when these opportunities are only available for a handful of schools. I actually think some separation has its merits--during lockdowns or traffic issues there are fewer disruptions if the schools are separated.

I know a big reason this is moving through so quickly is because of aging infrastructure and costs. It sounds like the goal is to keep a closed school to use as district offices or a swing school. I think this is a smart decision, but I hope you are accounting for the fact that those buildings will still need to be maintained at some level. After all, in NC, you can't just shut off an HVAC system and expect the building to be mold-free. While there will be some cost savings, you will still need to factor in that some maintenance is unavoidable, and that closing a school will not eliminate all costs.

Finally, if you look at the workplace satisfaction survey, Ephesus rates very highly. While some teachers can be moved to other schools, the success comes from the culture and relationships they have built together and how they work with each other. You can see this is that fact that Ephesus has the highest rate of growth for students: teachers can work together to get struggling students to where they need to be. If things are working--especially for a Title I school--we shouldn't disrupt that. 

Thank you,

Erin Mitchell