LYNCHBURG, Va. – Some Lynchburg City Schools parents are growing worried their child’s school might close.
Lynchburg City Schools is looking into improving its facilities and it wants community members to be a part of the conversation. The district held the first of four open houses on Monday to discuss with parents some of the options.
The district has come up with four different scenarios. While the goal is to try and improve some of their facilities, it could come at a cost.
Each scenario is different but depending on the route chosen, some elementary schools could close.
Fort Hill Community School, Sandusky Elementary, T.C. Miller Elementary, Dearington Elementary, and Paul Munro Elementary are all at risk of closing.
Calvin Milam has two kids who go to Paul Munro Elementary. He says the school is the flagship of Lynchburg.
“This school can not be recreated anywhere else within the city of Lynchburg,” Milam said.
Reid Wodicka is the Deputy Superintendent for Operations and Strategic Planning for LCS. One thing he wants to be clear about is there is no final decision on which way to move forward.
“These are not final recommendations. These are simply an opportunity for people to react and respond to certain ideas. We’ll use that feedback to craft more final recommendations as we move forward,” Wodicka said.
In August, the Facilities Master Plan recommendations will be presented to the Lynchburg City School Board and City Council based on input received in the coming weeks.
“At the end of the day, you’re going to own this. People will look back and this is the inflection point. This is what really changed public education in Lynchburg for the better or the worse,” Milam said.
The upcoming events will be held from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. on the following dates:
- Tuesday, July 18: Sandusky Elementary at 5828 Apache Lane
- Wednesday, July 19: Heritage Elementary at 501 Leesville Road
- Monday, July 24: Dearington Elementary at 210 Smyth Street
You can also provide additional feedback on the LCS Facilities Master Plan Survey if you wish to do so.