Public Comment Regarding School Closure Discussion
Xu
Dear Rani Dasi and all CHCCS Board Members,
Thank you for your service to our community during this extremely difficult period. The combination of enrollment decline and the resulting financial pressure has placed the district in a challenging position, and I truly appreciate the time, care, and emotional weight each of you carry in making these decisions.
I also want to thank Board Member Rani Dasi for speaking openly about her thinking. Transparency is important to build trust, and I respect the courage it takes to share a preliminary position in such a sensitive moment.
Recent news reports¹ ² noted that transportation cost is one of the reasons Glenwood may be considered for closure. I would like to offer a different perspective, grounded in both data and community experience.
In Chinese, we have a guiding principle for challenging times: “开源节流 (kāi yuán jié liú).” Literally, it means “open new sources and reduce unnecessary loss.” In practice, it means grow revenue (increase enrollment, attract families) while also being wise about cost‑saving.
This philosophy aligns closely with what our district needs right now.
On transportation cost
Glenwood is a districtwide magnet school, so it naturally transports students from across the district. But closing Glenwood will not reduce transportation cost — the transportation needs remain. In fact, it may potentially increase costs:
If the Mandarin Dual Language Immersion program and the World Language program are moved as a whole, no existing elementary school has the capacity to host them intact. The receiving school would require major restructuring, which increases transportation complexity rather than reducing cost.
If the programs are split, transportation needs may double, because students would be sent to two different campuses instead of one.
If reducing transportation cost is a priority, then closing a neighborhood school, followed by a thoughtful redrawing of boundaries, would actually save more money than closing a magnet school that serves the entire district.
On “开源 (kāi yuán)” — opening new sources
Chapel Hill and Carrboro are actively approving more affordable housing to reduce living costs and attract families. This is a real example of “开源.”
For the school district, “开源(kāi yuán)” means:
Keeping successful programs that attract families
Strengthening programs that draw enrollment from within the district, across the state, and even internationally
Expanding offerings that meet the needs of diverse families
Glenwood is one of the district’s strongest examples of “开源(kāi yuán).” As one community member said during public comment: “Glenwood was not assigned to students — students choose Glenwood.” Many families have moved to Chapel Hill specifically for its programs. In a time of national enrollment decline, Glenwood continues to draw families in.
On “节流 (jié liú)” — reducing unnecessary loss
“节流(jié liú)” does not mean cutting the programs that are working. It means protecting the programs that sustain the district’s long‑term health.
Keeping Glenwood — and keeping its two programs together — is the true “节流(jié liú).” Splitting or weakening these programs would create long‑term loss that far outweighs any short‑term savings.
I hope this email helps clarify the misunderstanding that closing Glenwood can cut transportation costs. My hope is that the final decision will allow our district not only to survive this period of enrollment decline, but ultimately to thrive — by keeping the programs that attract families, strengthen community trust, and support long‑term growth.
Thank you again for your service and for considering this perspective.
Sincerely, Xu Tian Proud father of two lovely girls currently enrolled in 1st and 3rd grade in Glenwood
¹ https://www.wunc.org/education/2026-05-08/chccs-close-one-elementary-school ² https://www.wunc.org/education/2026-06-02/school-board-choose-chapel-hill-school-close
P.S. For transparency, I have also shared this message with all Board members separately.