JEFFERSON PARISH, La. — WWL-TV's Eleanor Tabone reports that the Jefferson Parish School Board has voted to close several schools at the end of the school year.
The vote followed an intense session where many parents, students, and teachers pleaded with the school board to keep their schools open.
However, the board voted to go through and approve the plan.
Jefferson Parish Schools announced what the approved plan will entail in a press release:
"The approved 2023 Infrastructure and Efficiency Plan will:
● Consolidate seven schools
● Relocate two schools
● Create one new PK-8 school
● Build two new campuses
Under the plan, seven schools will be consolidated and students will be absorbed into other schools:
● Grace King High School students will be absorbed into Bonnabel High School and Riverdale High School
● Gretna Middle School students will be absorbed into Marrero Middle School and Livaudais Middle School
● Helen Cox High School students will be absorbed into John Ehret High School, LW Higgins High School, and West Jefferson High School
● Joshua Butler Elementary students will be absorbed into Judge Lionel Collins Elementary, Isaac Joseph Elementary, and Truman School
● Mildred Harris Elementary students will be absorbed into Cherbonnier Elementary and Emmett Gilbert Elementary
● Washington Elementary students will be absorbed into Bunche Elementary
● St. Ville Elementary students will be absorbed into Woodmere Elementary while a new school is being built at the current St. Ville site. Once the new school construction at St. Ville’s current site is completed, a new St. Ville Elementary will open. At that time, school lines will be redrawn to include the St. Ville Elementary, Woodmere Elementary, Shirley Johnson Gretna Park Elementary, and George Cox Elementary campuses."
"Two schools will relocate their campuses and students:
● Haynes Academy will relocate to the Grace King High School site
● Thomas Jefferson Academy will relocate to the Gretna Middle School site
One school will expand to a PK-8 school:
● C.T. Janet Elementary (currently PK-5)"
The press release said that the plan will go into effect for the 2023-2024 school year, and that 13% of the district's near 47,000 will be affected.
"Jefferson Parish Schools will send impacted families placement letters with their assigned school once school attendance zone maps are available," the press release said. "Certificated employees with a satisfactory evaluation working at a consolidated school will maintain their employment, salary, and benefits.
"The district will visit schools to meet face-to-face with employees impacted by these changes and get their input on where they would like to work next school year."
This is a developing story. Check back on WWL-TV.com for more updates.
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