NORFOLK, Va. (WAVY) — Many who turned out for a presentation on Norfolk Public Schools’ plan to close and consolidate school campuses were not pleased with the preliminary choices.
That list was released Wednesday and residents continued to weigh in during a presentation in the Granby High School auditorium.
The list was met with scrutiny.
The preliminary list of schools recommended for closure are:
- Berkley Campostella Early Childhood Education Center
- Ghent School
- Granby Elementary School
- Lindenwood Elementary School
- Norfolk Technical Center
- Norview Elementary School
- P.B. Young Sr. Elementary School
- Tarrallton Elementary School
- The Southeastern Cooperative Educational Programs Center
- Willoughby Early Childhood Center
“The list here now encompasses one of the schools my son goes to, Ghent, the Ghent facility being closed, my concern is it wants to take the Ghent facility and put it in the Monroe Elementary School,” said Norfolk educator and parent Michelle Bates.
This preliminary list consists of closing elementary schools like Norview and Granby, while repurposing other campuses. Many in attendance are not pleased with the plans as they stand, but they know it’s necessary.
“We could go with shutting down a few of the elementary schools because they are not at capacity,” said Norfolk parent Dr. Josh Howell. “They are not even at 50% capacity, and the repair cost is extensive.”
The work compiling the list began in the spring. It came after Norfolk City Council gave NPS an Aug. 1 deadline to complete the list of schools. Since then, a steering committee has been working to name campuses for a preliminary consolidation, renovation and rebuild plan.
“That is going to take work,” leading consultant for the Project David Sturtz said. “But if you do so then you set the table of your division so that you have too many building for your population, you are ensuring that you don’t have enough money to operate it fully,” Sturtz said.
Some, like Bates, say it’s all moving too fast.
“Talk to the people who know how to make this plan that they’re trying to put together make sense, because right now it doesn’t make sense,” Bates said.
Responses from Thursday’s meeting will be presented to the Norfolk School Board during a July 8 work session.
For a full look at the preliminary list of school closures, renovations, repurposing and rebuilding, click here.
Norfolk School Board member Jason Inge told 10 On Your Side the board is pushing for more community engagement sessions in the very near future.