AUGUST, Ga. (WRDW/WAGT) – Public meetings begin Monday on a plan to close and consolidate some schools in Richmond County.
The proposed plan affects thousands of students at various elementary and middle schools across the county.
Within the Richmond County Board of Education, change can flow.
Alvin Jones' daughters attended CT Walker Magnet School.
“One of my twins said to me: ‘Dad, if they are going to demolish our school, we will not be happy about it,’” he said.
Nothing has blossomed yet, but there is a lot to consider.
“CT Walker will no longer be CT Walker by removing it from its historic site,” Jones said.
In the proposed plan, CT Walker Magnet School would move to the current location of the Taubman Learning Center on Walton Road.
See the full master plan of the facility:
“Right now, it's a nightmare where they're currently located but I feel like moving it to the Walton Road location, it's going to cause more of a logistical nightmare and probably cause some kind of traffic to come back as well in the Walton Road area,” Jones said.
Traffic isn't the only concern for Jones.
“I feel like if you moved the school to a different area where the crime rates are a little bit higher, I think that would make the parents a little bit more anxious, taking their kids to school, wondering whether or not the kids are really safe or not,” Jones said.
Parents have the opportunity to ask questions and share their concerns in the coming week.
“I'm 1,000% sure that it's not just me, we have other parents here at CSRA who are as passionate or even more passionate about this school than I am and their voices will definitely be heard,” Jones said.
The first meeting will be held on Monday at School A. Brian Merry Elementary. This meeting affects students at A. Brian Merry Elementary, Lake Forest Hills Elementary, Warren Road Elementary, and Garrett Elementary.
Below is a list of dates and locations for each meeting:
- March 4 at 6 pm at A. School. Brian Merry Elementary
- March 5 at 6 p.m. at Spirit Creek Middle School and Gracewood Elementary School
- March 6 at 6 p.m. at Langford Middle and Tutt Middle Schools
- March 7 at 6 p.m. at Richmond Hill Elementary and Middle School
- March 11 at 6 p.m. at Bellaire Middle School
- March 12 at the central office
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