5 schools close permanently, making Friday an emotional day for many
The last goodbyes
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School Closings
McClleanville Middle School and Schroder Middle School are two of five schools that the Charleston County School District is closing.
Previous story
Board agrees to close 5 schools; Move expected to save district about $5.3 million, published 01/27/09
Everyone knew this day would come, but that didn't make it any easier.
Five schools — Brentwood Middle, Charlestowne Academy, Fraser Elementary, McClellanville Middle and Schroder Middle — closed their doors for good Friday, and five school communities grieved the loss.
It was a difficult and emotional day for students and staff alike. Some were optimistic about the future while others were anxious and fearful. And while some students looked forward to their summer break, many others felt the pain of more permanent goodbyes.
The school board made the decision in January to shutter the schools to save money and to give kids better opportunities elsewhere. At the time the district faced a projected $28 million deficit, and these five schools were among the lowest achieving in the district.
Some schools, such as Fraser Elementary, fought to remain, open while others, such as Brentwood Middle, were silent. No one succeeded in changing the board's mind.
Most students and staff know where they'll be next year, but officials are less clear about what's going to happen to the empty buildings.
Schools held ceremonies this week to commemorate their historic end. At rural McClellanville Middle, its 77 students gathered outside the school Wednesday to receive awards and honor their alma mater. The school building once housed a segregated high school, and it later housed an elementary school but closed in 1983 when St. James-Santee Elementary opened. The building reopened in 1991 as a middle school.
Carrie Gibbs, one of the school's former principals, came to pay tribute to the school. She, like many others in the community, isn't happy that McClellanville Middle is closing, but she understood that its enrollment has dropped. She's glad that area students still will be able to go to school near their homes, and she's especially grateful that Lincoln High School will stay open.
"Keeping the high school open is more of a focus," she said.
During the ceremony, Kim Livingston, the school's media specialist, attempted to explain to the crowd through tears that instead of doing a yearbook, students had compiled a book that chronicled the school's history.
"It's to preserve the memories of the school for the next generation," she said. "It's dedicated to all of us who have made the school work and to the students who are here today. I want the best for you."
The school has a small, tight-knit teaching staff, and Livingston said later that it's hard knowing that her colleagues and friends will be scattering to schools across the district. They had a book club and occasionally met for dinner or lunch. Students come and go, but teachers stay year after year. She's going to miss their friendship.
Erica Collenton, an eighth-grader, sobbed her way through a speech to her classmates. She said she felt as if she'd found a second home, and how it's difficult leaving a place where she has grown so much.
"The school means so much to me and many others, and the thought of it closing gnaws at me, day in and day out," she said.
She holds a special place in her heart for the building, but it's the people she's leaving that Collenton said she'll miss the most.
On Friday, the last day of school, Schroder Middle in Hollywood hosted a field day for students. Many said it seemed like any other day as they played tug-of-war and basketball.
The reality began to set in a little later for some in Miriam Wright's seventh-grade class after they watched a slide show with pictures from the year. Some students cried after watching it, and they became even more emotional after they received their yearbooks. They hugged, signed their friends' shirts and yearbooks and promised to stay in touch.
Wright, who's taught at Schroder 29 years, has been disappointed that the board chose to close Schroder, and she said the school's constant faculty and administrative turnover made it difficult to produce results.
"I don't think we were given an opportunity to show what these kids are capable of doing," she said.
She seemed business-as-usual until officials called for the first round of bus riders to leave her class. She stood up and told her class, "It has been a pleasure, and I'm not going to say much." Her tears made it difficult for her to talk.
One of her students, seventh-grader Tyla Williams, sat outside her school and cried while waiting for her bus.
"The year ended too fast for me," she said. "We might not see some of these people again."
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Comments
karmann (anonymous) says...
The closing of schools won't improve the academic performance of the students under CCSD's care and responsibility. Until parents believe in the importance of education, set examples at home, demand the same from the schools, and have leadership in CCSD that also demands academic excellence and discipline, then our schools will continue to fail. The other day I heard a parent exhibit the example of how not to be as she proudly proclaimed her right to use language in front of her children that showed a lack of respect for others. With this type of home education, I feel that her children will learn a lesson that will not be in their best interests. I wonder if there will come a point in time when this will change, or is this the fate of the American family?
June 6, 2009 at 5:03 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
TRODI (anonymous) says...
Good post karmann.have you seen the movie idiocracy.it very well could be the future.not literally but close.
June 6, 2009 at 6:03 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
postman01 (anonymous) says...
WE couldn't afford them. therefore they had to go.
June 6, 2009 at 6:24 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
maeko (anonymous) says...
lol, mayor! maybe they'll get vouchers!
really, though, failing schools should be closed. when times are better, maybe they will be able to open new ones
June 6, 2009 at 7:07 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
jammer (anonymous) says...
Wright, who's taught at Schroder 29 years, has been disappointed that the board chose to close Schroder...
"I don't think we were given an opportunity to show what these kids are capable of doing," she said.
excuse me? 29 years wasn't long enough to give these kids opportunity?
these teachers are in denial... they should go through the stats and fire the one's with the worse academic turnout, save some more wasted funds
we all understand that the parents should do their part but there are many scholars that rose way above and beyond in this world that had lousy home live's and parents... or no parents at all...
it's the system that allows these kids to act up and fail that's screwed up, they just keep passing them on along as if they are achieving... so when the day it all catches up to them the teachers and schools wonder what happened and blame it on other things??
you've got to be kidding me...
good job on your changes so far Ms. Superintendent!! keep the train slowly moving forward
June 6, 2009 at 7:50 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
10216340 (anonymous) says...
jammer.....That sure was a nice long comment from someone who obviously doesn't have even a little bit of a clue about the subject. A bit of advice....in the future just avoid commenting about this subject.....save a little face OK.
June 6, 2009 at 10:25 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
jammer (anonymous) says...
10216340 you must be one of the failing teachers to make a comment like that... I'd expect an insult rather than a factual debate from someone like yourself...
have a great weekend
June 6, 2009 at 10:36 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
10216340 (anonymous) says...
jammer....I tried to keep it simple for you because again....you obviously don't have a clue. I have met and spoken with many people like you over the years and frankly....you're just not worth the effort.
June 6, 2009 at 11:29 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
jammer (anonymous) says...
10216340 you type with such arrogance, which emulates much of our problems in the school districts around here... you've proved my point, thank you
June 6, 2009 at 11:35 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
Reader (anonymous) says...
Jammer is absolutely right on this one.
How much time IS required to produce ANY sort of result? Now, I admit that the CCSD is not producing the best outcome possible, and there are lots of reasons for that. Overall, the CCSD is far behind other school districts not only in South Carolina, but certainly those of other states.
But, within the CCSD, how can some schools (Sullivans Island and Mt. Pleasant and a few elsewhere) generate good, solid outcomes while these (Brentwood, Fraser, etc.) continue to fail year after year? They are all subject to the same oversight and the same policies. When selecting "good" and "bad" schools from within the same district, you have a hard time faulting the funding of schools or other things. To explain the low performance of these schools, you have to focus on the things that are specific to these schoos - its faculty, its administrators, and the students (and their parents) who attend.
June 6, 2009 at 12:07 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
Teach7775 (anonymous) says...
One of the MAIN reasons CCSD closed these schools is that the closures eliminate those schools' failing test scores from the CCSD pool.
In doing this is gives everyone the false impression that test scores are rising across the county. In reality, when schools such as these are closed down the low scores simply dissappear and don't count for the given year.
Makes me want to puke......
June 6, 2009 at 12:11 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
Reader (anonymous) says...
Teach7775 - I don't think that by closing a school at the end of a year, the CCSD avoids reporting the standardized test results for the school during the year. And, even if they did, that only results in a big DROP the next year when those students are reported as part of some other school to which they are moved. And, even if they could avoid that pitfall, I think you are switching cause and effect.
June 6, 2009 at 12:36 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
Teach7775 (anonymous) says...
Reader, it sounds crazy, I know.
But, the scores do indeed dissappear, and are not tabulated at all, even the next year...
June 6, 2009 at 12:39 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
USC_Alumni (anonymous) says...
I attended Brentwood Middle the very first year it became a middle school. It was the very worst 3 years of my school life. Mixing the kids from Union Heights, Accabee, Dorchester/Wayln, Charleston Heights, lower and upper Dorchester rd was a big mistake.
I know some educational big shots probably thought it was a good idea, but I saw a lot of kids terrorized, verbally and physically abused by other students.
There was a lot of resentment and hatred. It took the kids from my neighborhood 30 minutes to walk to school and cross a dangerous Dorchester rd with no crossing guard. Yet the neighborhood one street over from us and one street behind us had school buses. As kids we always thought that because we were poorer and from the hood that was the reason.
So long Brentwood. I wish my hands could be at the controls when they demolish that school.
June 6, 2009 at 1:17 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
Rocks66 (anonymous) says...
USC_Alumni:
You mean kids were actually "...verbally and physically abused by other students"? My goodness!
Can you think of a school in which that DOESN'T happen? That's reality. Learning to deal with it is part of growing up.
June 6, 2009 at 3:54 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
USC_Alumni (anonymous) says...
Posted by Rocks66 on June 6, 2009 at 3:54 p.m. (Suggest removal)
USC_Alumni:
You mean kids were actually "...verbally and physically abused by other students"? My goodness!
Can you think of a school in which that DOESN'T happen? That's reality. Learning to deal with it is part of growing up.
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
A. A middle school student should kick another student in the stomach so hard that a trip to the hospital is required. It was totally unprovked. The kid used the restroom, turned around and another student just kicked him in the stomach.
B. One kid should not have a gang of kids jump on him and just punch and kick for minutes again for no reason.
C. A kid sitting at the lunch table eating lunch should not have another kid walk up and pour milk over his head.
D. A kid standing in line to use the bathroom shouldn't have another kid walk up to him and spit in his face.
There's a diffrence between kids being kids and the things I just listed. Makes you wonder why some kids don't want to go to school.
June 6, 2009 at 4:23 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
MontessoriMom (anonymous) says...
All CCSD students have the right to an education. Whether or not they take us up on it is another story. It's hard because smaller schools are very expensive to operate. When you look at the per student dollar amount spent at some of the smaller school compared to the larger schools, it can be as big a difference as $8,000+ spent per student. So actually, it does make sense to close them on a financial level. I really think we need to see what happens when the students from these lower performing schools are transferred to better performing schools. I wish these students the best.
June 6, 2009 at 6:23 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
Teach7775 (anonymous) says...
Go Charter!!!!
June 6, 2009 at 7:02 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
MisWesaMoves (anonymous) says...
Education, etiquette and values begin at home. Children are born as a "blank canvas." Parents, siblings and immediate family are their first teachers. Children learn by example. It's not the schools or the teachers...It's many of today's parents who refuse "to step up" and who can't be bothered to begin the education process at home. They'd rather park their kids in front of a TV or video game or drop them off at a daycare even when it's not necessary. This screwed up process is the reason many of today's kids are not socially prepared for scholastic interaction.
June 7, 2009 at 8:08 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
Bama2012 (anonymous) says...
Close Wando High and save huge bucks. Make all Wandoites go to private school. That'll fix everything.
-Do you have any common sense about anything? Really.
June 8, 2009 at 10:49 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
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