The Davenport School Board has voted to close JB Young School. Last night, the board of education voted 5-2 in favor of closing the school, at the end of the current academic year.
JB Young is only at 57 percent capacity and is currently the most expensive school to operate in the district. In August, Superintendent Art Tate proposed closing the kindergarten through eighth grade school, to avoid spending millions of dollars on improvements.
School Board President, Ralph Johanson, says dozens of religious leaders and residents came to the school board meeting to voice their concerns--adding the "atmosphere was tense, yet respectful."
Earlier in the month, the district held public meetings about closing JB Young, and Johanson says residents will still have opportunities to talk about the issue in the future.
Once it closes, elementary students would transfer to either Madison or Jefferson schools, while the older students would go to either Sudlow, Williams, or Smart intermediate schools.
Teachers will also be transferred to different schools. The Davenport School Board has yet to decide what to do with the building.
At the school board's next meeting on November 9th, Superintendent Art Tate will present a plan for closing JB Young, and the specific reasons behind the decision.