The Grapevine-Colleyville ISD school board did not take action tonight, but they did provide an update on the process to consider school closures and consolidations.
The district is looking at multiple options, and there is no official list of schools that are being considered.
Still, parents and community members are asking the board to slow down the process and find other ways to save money.
Local perspective:
Grapevine-Colleyville ISD is joining a long list of North Texas school districts facing the tough decision to close and consolidate schools. Like many others, the district is facing a budget deficit and declining enrollment.
While there’s no official list of recommended schools, parents, like Courtney Fray, have started advocating to save their schools.
“I will say we were blindsided, because this hadn’t been communicated until 3 weeks ago,” said Fray. “I want to see us come up with some creative solutions that are alternatives to school closings.”
The Education Master-Planning Committee, made up of parents, community members, and employees, has been meeting since January to discuss the district’s future. The committee will make recommendations to the board later this Fall.
Fray and other parents want more representation.
“I just want to see us come together and make a unified decision on what to do with the budget constraint,” said Fray.
What they’re saying:
During Monday night’s school board meeting, other parents urged the board to slow down the process.
“This is not just about budgets on paper, this is about the daily lives of students, the stability of our staff, and the character of our community,” said Renee Hart, a parent at Dove Elementary.
The other side:
Some people spoke in favor of the change.
“Change is hard, but the educators, not the building, shape our kids’ future. It’s the people, let’s prioritize them,” said Zack Penn, a parent in attendance.
Big picture view:
After public comments, board members addressed the tough decision.
“We may make structural changes, as our predecessors did, we may adjust the campuses students attend, but no matter the final configuration and no matter how many schools we have, one fundamental truth remains unshakable, and it does not change the chord in who we are,” Mary Humprhey, GCISD Vice President.
What’s next:
Right now, there is no set date for when the committee will give a recommendation to the board.