Residents, teachers urge board not to close Cook Literacy Model School

The Winston Salem / Forsyth County Schools board held a public hearing Oct. 14 on the proposed residential boundary maps for a planned reassignment tied to consideration of closing Cook Literacy Model School. Dozens of parents, volunteers and staff told the board the closure would harm students and erode community trust.

Speakers described Cook as an established neighborhood institution with a “loving, supportive, and student-focused culture” and urged the district to preserve the school’s history and staff continuity. Volunteer Richard Dara described weekly tutoring relationships he has developed at Cook; teacher Corey Stewart, who said he has taught at Cook for 10 years and served as last year’s Teacher of the Year, told the board: “If if you're gonna use the word consolidation, then consolidate. My thought process would be take them to Whitaker because if Cook is a C school, then why take him to any other school than a school that is the same or better?”

Concerns raised by speakers

- Health and site suitability: Several speakers, including parent Erica Hall, opposed sending Cook students to a new Brunson site that they called a Brownfield, saying historic contamination and stigma would deter families and worsen enrollment declines.

- Community history and naming: Rhonda Mays and other community members asked that the district preserve Cook’s historical footprint and honor Lafayette Anderson Cook in any changes to facilities or names.

- Staff and student stability: Teachers and union leaders warned of retraumatizing students and displacing staff. Jenny Easterbrook, president of the Forsyth County Association of Educators, said closing Cook “is the wrong decision” and urged the board to rezone equitably and reinvest rather than remove schools.

- Process and timing: Commenters asked the board to delay a final decision until newly proposed rezoning maps (part of the district’s “fostering diverse schools” work) are finalized and to consider alternative proposals such as combining Brunson and Cook at the Cook site. Peter Antonazi recommended tabling the closure decision until next year so the board could consider updated enrollment projections and rezoning effects.

Board context and next steps

District staff reviewed facility-assessment work that identified Cook as an aging facility with declining enrollment and presented two boundary-map options for public feedback; the Board previously discussed the assessment at the Aug. 12 Building and Grounds Committee meeting. The public hearing required speakers to state their name and limited each to three minutes; trustees listened but did not take a closure vote at the Oct. 14 meeting.

Provenance: first and last transcript excerpts below support this reporting.