Community urges Chapel Hill–Carrboro board not to close Glenwood, Sewell or Ephesus as staff outlines $1.7M savings

Dozens of parents, teachers and students urged the Chapel Hill–Carrboro City Schools board at a May 21 public hearing not to close Ephesus, Glenwood or Sewell elementary schools, arguing closures would damage successful programs and disproportionately harm vulnerable students.

Bailey Norman, librarian at Ephesus Elementary and a member of that school’s improvement team, told the board Ephesus is “working” and that closing it would “disrupt a functioning school community, trusted relationships, and a support structure that is working for the students who need stability most.” Norman said Ephesus is academically strong and serves many students from economically disadvantaged households.

Multiple speakers focused on Glenwood Elementary, which houses both a Mandarin dual-language immersion program and a world-language track. Emily Kreutzer, president of the Glenwood PTA, said aftercare and capacity figures in the district report understate wait lists at many schools and asked the board to consider how closing or splitting Glenwood’s programs would affect families and aftercare availability.

“Glenwood is not just a building or a set of language programs,” parent Bianca Allison said. “It is the only school‑wide Chinese cultural and linguistic environment in CHCCS.” Several parents said they moved to Chapel Hill specifically for Glenwood’s Mandarin pathway and that splitting the dual-language and world-language tracks would dismantle a school culture that draws families to the district.

Language-education advocates also spoke. Bonnie Wong, representing FLANC (Fostering Language Acquisition in North Carolina), urged the board to preserve both Glenwood programs, saying language programs “require long-term commitments” and abrupt dismantling would disrupt students’ progress and family trust.

Several speakers called out data and equity concerns. Speakers representing Ephesus emphasized that it is the only Title I school in the closure study and that NC law requires districts to avoid hardship to pupils with disabilities or those who are economically disadvantaged; one speaker cited North Carolina General Statute 115C‑72(a)(1) in urging the board to weigh the statutory duty to protect vulnerable pupils.

District staff provided a brief overview of the closure study and timeline. In a staff presentation, the administration summarized work dating to October 2024 with Carolina Demography and the Wolpert report, described a program-capacity analysis, and said the district estimated approximately $1.7 million in recurring annual operational savings from closing one elementary school (with a possible upper estimate near $2.0 million after adjustments). The staff presentation also described projected capital pressures across an aging school inventory and said the board is expected to take a vote on a possible closure on June 4, with any redistricting to follow over the 2026–27 cycle.

Board members asked staff to clarify the savings estimate and the potential capital‑expenditure implications of keeping a building as a temporary swing space. Several board members said they hoped to minimize disruption but that the district faces long‑term fiscal pressures linked to declining enrollment and an aging facilities portfolio.

The hearing also included general public comments not related to the closure study: educators and public‑health experts urged the district to re-examine classroom technology policies and to consider tighter phone and screen-time limits as a way to support learning and enrollment.

No final closure decision was made at the May 21 hearing. The board anticipated discussing and likely voting on a closure proposal on June 4; staff said any closure would be followed by a redistricting process and further community engagement. Procedural motions at the start of the meeting to approve the agenda and move into a closed session earlier in the evening were carried by voice vote.