The Jefferson Parish (La.) School Board has voted to shutter six schools, relocate two others and build two new preK-8 schools.
Nola.com reports that the schools set to close at the end of the school year are Grace King High School in Metairie; Gretna Middle School in Gretna; Helen Cox High School in Harvey; Butler Elementary in Westwego; Mildred Harris Elementary in Westwego; and Washington Elementary in Kenner.
Two other schools would vacate their campuses and move elsewhere: Haynes Academy would move to Grace King’s campus; and Thomas Jefferson Academy would move to Gretna Middle’s campus.
Plans call for two preK-8 campuses to be built where Bunche Elementary and St. Ville Elementary now operate.
An earlier recommendation had call for Woods Elementary to be among the campuses to shut down, but Jefferson Parish Schools Superintendent James Gray asked the board to remove the school from the closing list. The School Board followed that recommendation.
The school board voted 7-2 in favor of the closing proposal, after more than three hours of public comment and a failed attempt by two board members to postpone a decision on closures.
The school board hired Meyer Engineers and MGT Consulting in February to develop a plan that optimized the district's use of space and resources in the face of a steady enrollment drop.
The school system has about 47,000 students and 800 buildings with an average age of 60 years. Many have become a drain on the system’s coffers, regularly requiring major repairs.
