Binghamton Board of Education May Close One City School
The Binghamton City School District Board of Education is considering the possibility of closing an elementary school.
A series of meetings will be held to provide information to school district residents about a feasibility study that looked into the future use of buildings as enrollment continues to drop.
The district is reviewing four schools in an effort to determine whether one of them should be shut down.
The schools under review are Horace Mann on College Street on the West Side; Theodore Roosevelt on Ogden Street on the North Side, Thomas Jefferson on Helen Street on the West Side and Woodrow Wilson on Prospect Street in the First Ward.
According to a letter from Board of Education president Brian Whalen, the feasibility study began just over a year ago to develop future plans for the school district.
The study was viewed as critical not only due to declining enrollment but because of the deterioration of some school buildings.
Five community forums have been scheduled to allow Binghamton residents to offer their ideas and ask questions.
- June 15, 3 p.m. Theodore Roosevelt Library
- June 15, 6 p.m. East Middle School Auditorium
- June 22, 3 p.m. Horace Mann Elementary Gymnasium
- June 22, 5:30 p.m. West Middle School Auditorium
- June 23, 6 p.m. Woodrow Wilson Elementary Cafetorium
People unable to attend the meetings in person will be able to access them via Zoom. The links will be posted on the Board of Education website.
Input from the community forums will be discussed at the July school board meeting.
Any plan to close a school would take at least two years to implement. The district does not plan to lay off faculty or staff is a building is closed. Positions no longer needed would be eliminated through attrition.
Contact WNBF News reporter Bob Joseph: bob@wnbf.com. For breaking news and updates on developing stories, follow @BinghamtonNow on Twitter.