Three Gaston schools may be shuttered

GASTON COUNTY, N.C.,None — Two Gaston County elementary schools and one middle school could be closing as soon as the next school year in a move that would save Gaston County taxpayers nearly $1 million a year.

UNC Charlotte's Urban Institute was commissioned by the Gaston County Board of education to study the most efficient use of schools as part of a system-wide redistricting plan. On Monday night it reported its findings, recommending the closure of Rhyne and McAdenville elementary schools and York Chester Middle School, said John Chesser, media and technology specialist at the Urban Institute.

- Rhyne students would go to Sadler, Woodhill, Pleasant Ridge and Sherwood elementary schools.

- McAdenville students would move to Lowell Elementary and North Belmont elementary schools.

- York Chester Middle students would attend Bessemer City Middle, Grier and Southwest middle schools. A small number of students from those schools would shift so all middle schools had about the same capacity.

Closing those buildings would save around $900,000 a year, about $300,000 for each closure, Chesser said. Over five years the school district would save about $4.5 million in operating costs.

"Nearly a third of your facilities are 50 years old or older and 50 percent are 30 years old or older," Chesser said.

York Chester was built in 1940, McAdenville was built in 1950 and Rhyne was built in 1955, according to Gaston County tax records.

The Urban Institute looked at the age and condition of the facility, how it was being utilized, operating costs, sustainability of the buildings and future growth potential as factors when looking at redistricting, Chesser said. These schools were located in areas that are not projected to see high growth in the future.

There's a cluster of underutilized elementary schools in the central and western part of the county. Pleasant Ridge is at 46 percent capacity. Rhyne is at 50 percent capacity. Woodhill is at 53 percent capacity. Sherwood is at 67 percent capacity and Sadler is at 68 percent capacity.

The district aims to keep everyone employed even if the schools are closed. Human Resources Director John Tutterow said it was possible for the school system for the system to keep everyone on the payroll through resignations and retirements. Employees may not have the exact job that they're in now, but the district would work to get them a job as close to their current position as possible, he said.

"One of things I hope we will be in a position to do in the future is offer parents some magnet programs," said Superintendent Reeves McGlohon.

A math, science and technology program or an arts program might be started up at one of the school buildings if the business community partners with the school district when times get better, he said.

Attendance shifts

The Urban Institute also recommended moving the boundary line for Brookside Elementary so more students would attend Gardner Park Elementary. Brookside has nine trailers now and Gardner Park has space for more students, Chesser said.

The English as a Second Language program and Exceptional Children's Program at Gardner Park would move to Robinson Elementary and Hawks Nest Intermediate in Gastonia.

The attendance lines for Ashbrook and North Gaston High would also shift slightly so a small number of students that would go to North Gaston would now attend Ashbrook. That would reduce North Gaston's capacity from 93 percent to 88 percent while bumping up Ashbrook's capacity to 89 percent.

Public meetings will be held at each affected school as well as at the main branch of the Gaston County Public Library to garner public opinion on the recommendations. The school board will take up the issue at its Jan. 17 board meeting.

"Closing schools are never fun. There's going to be some communities that are hurt by this," said board member Kevin Collier. "It's with a heavy heart that we're having to make these moves, but it's absolutely necessary."

WSOC