Barrett, Essex and Rankin elementary schools would all close this summer because of low enrollment if the Akron school board approves a plan presented by Superintendent David James on Monday.
The closings would save the district almost $1 million in utilities, maintenance and labor costs, not counting savings from potential teacher layoffs.
James said it’s too soon to tell whether teachers would be laid off. Some would follow their students to other schools and others might fill vacancies opening in other schools because of retirements.
James said he’ll meet with staff at the schools this morning. Meetings with the public will be scheduled soon. James said he believes a formal proposal will be available for a school board vote as soon as the next meeting on Feb. 27.
The plan also adjusts several attendance zones, including the relocation of Portage Path elementary school from the cluster of schools feeding Buchtel High School to the Firestone High School cluster.
James presented the proposed school closings and boundary changes as part of a progress report on the nearly $800 million school construction program to replace, shut down or renovate every Akron school. So far, 25 buildings have been completed and another six are under construction or being designed.
The state is paying for 59 percent of the basic cost, with a voter-approved city income tax hike covering the rest. The new schools are called community learning centers and double as community centers for public use after hours.
The state generally shares costs only on elementary schools that serve at least 350 students.
Barrett, on the city’s east side in the Garfield cluster, enrolls 222 students.
Essex, near the Merriman Valley in the Firestone cluster, has 200 students.
Rankin, north of Copley Road in west Akron in the Buchtel cluster, has 188 students.
In the master construction plan, Barrett was slated for renovation and plans for Rankin had been put on hold.
Essex has always been scheduled for closing.
Board member Lisa Mansfield said Monday that she appreciated James’ efforts to save Essex.
“It’s in my backyard. All my kids went there,” Mansfield said.
When her husband, Eric Mansfield, was deployed to Iraq in 2003 for 14 months, the school’s staff looked after her and her family.
“I had custodians come over and help me when I couldn’t lift something,” she said. “Eric donated a flag that’s in their hallway that flew in Iraq.”
She said staffers called her one morning on teacher appreciation day when they ran out of eggs.
“They were cooking breakfast and they called me and said, ‘Mrs. Mansfield, can we borrow some eggs?’ We’re neighbors,” Mansfield said. “They’re like family to me, so it’s difficult.”
The students at the three schools will start next fall in their new schools.
Barrett students who live south of Eller Street would go to Voris elementary, bumping its enrollment from 314 to 356; those living north of Eller Street would attend Firestone Park elementary, which would increase its enrollment from 391 students to 495. Barrett also has about 68 students in special education programs who would be reassigned to several different schools.
Essex students living north of Sand Run Road would go to Case elementary, boosting its enrollment from 400 to 514; those living south of Sand Run Road would go to King elementary, which would increase from 376 to 419.
Rankin students who live west of Storer Avenue would be reassigned to Schumacher elementary, which would increase in enrollment from 244 to 355, including the addition of sixth grade; students living east of Storer Avenue would go to Crouse elementary, which would go from 312 to 521 and also add a sixth grade.
Proposed boundary changes would locate all of Portage Path elementary’s attendance area in the Firestone cluster and all of the Crouse and Helen Arnold elementary school attendance areas within the Buchtel cluster. Some students in each of those schools now graduate to a middle school outside of their elementary school cluster under the current configuration.
John Higgins can be reached at 330-996-3792 or jhiggins@thebeaconjournal.com. Read the education blog at http://education.ohio.com/.