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Oak Ridge neighbors press board to keep neighborhood elementary as district begins study
Summary
A resident urged the Granite School Board to preserve Oak Ridge Elementary during a district-initiated study of area school boundaries; the superintendent said the district has only begun a study and that no closure proposals have been made.
Jonathan Meacom, a resident who said his family includes four Granite students and decades of local ties, urged the Granite School Board on March 4 to keep Oak Ridge Elementary open and to oppose any closure proposals.
"Three of the pragmatic elements of why we want to oppose Oak Ridge closing ..." Meacom said, citing the school’s role as a neighborhood anchor, the difficulty of replicating safe walking routes and the capacity to host advanced-learning programs. He told the board that families move into that neighborhood for the school and that Oak Ridge could immediately accommodate students from nearby schools if needed.
Superintendent Horsley responded to the public comment by stressing the district has not proposed closing any school and is only beginning a study of the area. "At this point in time, we have only initiated a study of the area. No proposals for closures have been considered at this point in time," Horsley said, adding that the district will hold meetings later in March and solicit community input before pursuing any recommendations.
Board members and staff reiterated appreciation for the Oak Ridge community’s involvement. The superintendent also reminded the public that the district has seen a decline of more than 10,000 students over the past decade and said the study is intended to be thorough and include many opportunities for public input.
The board did not vote on school closures or make policy changes during the meeting; the district is scheduling public meetings for community feedback later this month.
