GASTON COUNTY, N.C. — People in Gaston County are fighting to keep a school in Cherryville open -- the school board says it’s too expensive to keep running, but another organization looked into the finances and disagrees with that.
Channel 9 Gaston County Reporter Ken Lemon spoke with those involved and learned that a group of parents, teachers, and community leaders is planning to address the board with a study they commissioned for W.M. Beam Intermediate School.
When Heather Holt learned that Gaston County Schools staff were doing a feasibility study that might close down Beam Intermediate School, she and others in Cherryville started working on their own study.
“The community, the board, the school system, we have a right to know what the true numbers are,” Holt said.
She said the board crafted a consolidation plan when the school system faced an enormous budget shortfall.
The district’s feasibility study said closing Beam will save the school system $288,300. Holt said the community’s study says it will save roughly $162,000.
“Saving $162,000 in a $17 million deficit is not enough to disrupt 200 children, their families,” Holt said.
A contribution from the commissioners now leaves the district with just a $7 million shortfall.
Holt said her plan has a broader look at state contributions, and considers growth in the city and crowding at other schools.
“Hopefully, they’ll read it and they’ll come to the conclusion that closing Beam is not the right decision,” Holt said.
She also has a petition with signatures from one out of every five residents in Cherryville.
“It will just be a disservice to the town if the county goes through with this,” she said.
The board is cutting 174 positions, along with consolidations, to try to balance its budget. The board will hear more about the staff’s consolidation plan on Monday, and a vote will be held next month.
©2026 Cox Media Group
/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/cmg/LH3JSJEF3VBLRJLJQESEAG34AM.png)
