Fulton County Schools staff recommend surplus, repurposing and demolition options for several vacant properties

Noel Malouf, the district’s chief operations officer, presented a high-level plan for several underused or vacant Fulton County Schools properties at the board’s May work session.

Malouf recommended declaring Conley Hills Elementary surplus and beginning appraisal work, saying staff will acquire an appraisal by October 2025 and seek board approval for disposal in May 2026 to complete the disposal process by December 2026. He also proposed relocating the district’s teaching museum(s) and the Fulton County Schools archives to the Spalding Drive Elementary facility and using Park Lane Elementary for regional administrative supports such as special needs and homeless services.

On Bethune Elementary, Malouf said staff are planning for the closure of the existing school facility after students and staff move into a replacement S.L. Lewis site scheduled to open in fall 2026; staff will seek board approval for closure and concurrently study future uses as part of the district’s facility master plan. The former Westlake High School building is under transition and will be evaluated as part of the same master-planning process, with staff planning to bring a recommendation to repurpose or demolish by fall 2026.

The recommendations are framed as high-level planning steps tied to the district master plan; Malouf told the board staff would return with appraisals, studies and specific proposals for board approval. No final disposals or demolitions were approved at the work session; board members asked clarifying questions about timing and the master-plan process.

Next steps noted by staff include appraisals, continued master planning and additional formal board presentations before any conveyances or disposal approvals.