Closure of C-M elementary schools subject of hearings
Canon-McMillan school board directors Paul Scarmazzi, left, Darla Monaco-Bowman, and Michael McClain prepare for the public hearing Thursday, regarding the closings of two elementary schools to prepare for the opening of Muse Elementary School.
Scott Duncan, whose two sons attend St. Patrick’s School, attended the public hearing Thursday to discuss the closing of Cecil and First Street elementary schools. A new elementary school is under construction.
Canon-McMillan School District Thursday held back-to-back public hearings to seek input from district residents regarding the closures of First Street and Cecil elementary schools in anticipation of opening the new Muse Elementary School in 2017.
The new, $31 million Muse Elementary building, which will replace three outdated elementary schools, will hold about 875 kindergarten through fourth-grade students who currently attend Cecil, First Street and the existing Muse elementary schools.
“Students who would have attended Cecil and First Street elementary schools will be assigned to Muse, which will be a new, premiere elementary school building. We’re excited for our students to have expanded offerings and access to cutting-edge technology,” Canon-Mac Superintendent Michael Daniels said.
School district solicitor Ira Weiss said the school board will hold a meeting Jan. 26 to vote on closing the two schools.
The school district has not determined the future of the two buildings.
Daniels said the district’s goal is to have a proposal for the disposition of both schools by the end of the 2016-17 school year.
Less than a dozen people attended the public hearings, held at the high school auditorium.
Parent Julie Serenyi, who has three children who attend Muse Elementary School, told board members she was told the new elementary school is nearly at capacity, and she is concerned about enrollment size because construction of about 500 new homes is underway in neighborhoods within the new Muse Elementary School’s boundaries.
Following the public hearing, Daniels said a demographer conducted studies on the properties slated for construction and there is no concern the elementary building will not have the capacity to handle an increased number of students.
The new building will be constructed on property adjacent to the current Muse Elementary School.