NORFOLK, Va. — The Norfolk School Board spent the bulk of a special meeting debating a new consolidation approach, called Option 5, and agreed on a preliminary list of buildings the district will remove from its inventory pending a formal rezoning process and administrative follow-up. Superintendent Dr. Pohl introduced Option 5 as a slower, rezoning-first path intended to preserve community input while addressing facility condition and academic equity.

Under the proposal presented by Superintendent Dr. Pohl, “Option 5 begins with two initial consolidations. First, Saint Helena with Southside STEM, which would allow Berkeley Early Childhood Center to move to a better facility. Second, Ocean Air with Ocean View, Bay View, and Mary Calcott Elementary schools, which would allow Willoughby Early Childhood Center to move to a better facility,” he said.

Why it matters: board members and the superintendent said the district must reduce its building inventory to save operating dollars and improve learning environments, while also responding to a March city council resolution that warned the council could shift Norfolk Public Schools to categorical funding if closures were not implemented in a timely way.

Most urgent facts: board members agreed they will move forward with rezoning work once the list of targeted buildings is final, and administrators said a rezoning purchase order is already signed. Mr. Fraley, a district facilities staff member, told the board: “Once we have the 10 schools, they can start on the rezoning.” He added that elementary, middle and high feeder patterns will be rezoned together.

What the board discussed: Option 5 differs from earlier options by postponing final placement of students until a full boundary study is complete; the plan would still close an initial round in the 2026–27 school year and continue closures in 2027–28, with the board and staff estimating a multi‑year implementation window that could extend through 2034. Supporters said the rezoning-first approach would allow the district to better match students to schools by residence and reduce concentrations of poverty; opponents warned it could be used to delay required action.

Board member Colonel Paulson criticized Option 5 as a delaying tactic. “Option 5 ... makes option 5 a red herring and not an effort, but an effort to delay,” he said, citing consultant advice that rezoning cannot occur before consolidations are finalized and warning that delay could prompt the city to change Norfolk’s funding arrangement.

Specific buildings identified: after extended discussion the board reported agreement on a preliminary set of facilities to remove from the district portfolio or repurpose, to be used as the baseline for rezoning and the public process: Tarleton (building slated for closure), Willoughby (ECC program moved and building closed), Norview, PB Young (one objection noted), Granby, the old Richard Bowling facility that currently houses a regional program (CSEP), and Madison (Open Campus/alternative programming). The board also discussed repurposing Chesterfield Academy to house CSEP, rebuilding Jaycox in a later phase, expanding Lake Taylor into a comprehensive CTE high school that would also house alternative education programming, and repurposing Lindenwood as a district professional development center rather than returning it to the city.

Costs and facilities detail discussed: administrators presented facility condition and cost estimates used in the recommendations. They said Berkeley Early Childhood Center would require roughly $13 million in priority repairs, while Saint Helena would require about $8 million — a difference the administration cited when recommending moving Berkeley’s ECC rather than investing in Berkeley. Board members and staff also cited district capital constraints (roughly $3 million per year in CIP contribution discussed) and estimated annual operating costs to keep Lindenwood open as a PD center at approximately $130,000 a year (utilities and one custodian), not counting deferred maintenance.

Process and next steps: the board asked administration to post submitted alternative proposals (board member Paulson’s Option 6 had been emailed for posting), provide additional financial detail on Lindenwood and off‑site meeting costs, and proceed with the rezoning study once the closure list is finalized. Mr. Fraley said the rezoning consultant purchase order is in place and that rezoning work can begin when the board finalizes the list of schools to close. The board chair said the packet and proposed timeline will be prepared for a vote next week, after the administration supplies the clarifying documentation requested by the board.

Community and political context: several board members said they sought a plan that balances urgency with time for communities to adapt. Supporters of Option 5 described it as responsive to community feedback and aligned with board goals for equity and academic improvement. Opponents, including Colonel Paulson, said the plan risks missing statutory or funding deadlines and urged a faster timetable.

Ending note: the board did not take a final vote on a consolidation ordinance at the special meeting; members agreed on a working list of buildings to remove from the inventory and on next steps for rezoning, to be followed by public hearings and a formal vote in the coming weeks.