Fulton County School Board votes 4-3 to move forward on Spalding Drive Elementary closure
Fight to save Spalding Drive Elementary School
New developments in the fight to save a popular elementary school that’s slated for closure. The Fulton County School District is considering closing Spalding Drive Elementary School in Sandy Springs as part of its redistricting plan, but Spalding Drive Parents are fighting that effort.
ATLANTA - The Fulton County School Board could vote for the first time Thursday on whether to close a popular neighborhood school in Sandy Springs.
Parents are hoping board members have a change of heart.
Fight to save Spalding Drive Elementary School
What we know:
Fulton County School Board members voted 4-3 to continue with the controversial proposal to close the popular neighborhood school.
Spalding Drive Elementary has been a key focus of community advocacy, with parents opposing the closure for months. Many families specifically moved to the area because of the school’s smaller size and its ability to provide tailored education.
Why do officials want to close the school?
The other side:
District staff cited low school enrollment and aging building conditions in recommending closing Spalding as part of the Fulton County Schools redistricting plan.
Spalding is one of two elementary schools the district has earmarked for closure.
Parents lobbying Fulton County School Board
What they're saying:
Board members Katie Gregory and Dr. Michelle Morancie asked to pause the process.
"I do not agree with the closure of Spalding Drive," Dr. Morancie told her fellow board members during a discussion on the superintendent’s motion to close. "Clearly, the policy is not working."
Gregory concurred: "I urge us to stop with this and consider what we do in the future."
The Save Spalding Drive Elementary Committee issued the following statement about Thursday night’s vote:
"We are heartened to see that three FCS board members agree with what we’ve been saying all along: This process has been rushed, our concerns have been met with silence, and the board school closure policy is broken and needs fixing. We’re grateful for the community’s continued support, and we will fight to the end to keep our school open."
Parent Emily Bell and other parents have spent the school year lobbying to save their school.
"We’ve put up a good fight. We’ve organized a great group of people. We’ve given the school board a 100-page document on why they should keep our school open," Bell told FOX 5.
Emily’s husband, Stephen Bell, believes the parents made a good case, and hopes it was enough to convince the school board.
"I am optimistic that they have higher standards for what a school criteria would be to close a school as high performing as Spalding Drive and that the staff’s recommendation haven’t met that threshold," Bell said.
What's next:
There are still two public hearing with the first schedule for Feb. 11 and the other for Feb. 20.
The board will not make its final decision until February.
The Source: FOX 5's Deidra Dukes spoke with parents whose children attend Spalding Drive Elementary School. The Save Spalding Drive Elementary Committee provided a statement following the vote. This story has been updated since originally published to update the results of the board vote.