A Closer Look at Potential School Closings

As many as 11 schools could be shut down to save the Hamilton County Department of Education money. NewsChannel 9 takes a closer look at some of the schools that could be on the chopping block, and what could happen to them.

One school on the list -- Birchwood Elementary -- home to about 150 students, the county's smallest school, which is why it may close. If Birchwood closes, the biggest headache for the county and parents would likely be transportation. The nearest school is 25 minutes away, Snow Hill Elementary in Ooltewah. That would create the district's longest commute for elementary students.

But busing is something School Board member Rhonda Thurman believes the county should cut back on -- not expand.

Rhonda Thurman says, "We can no longer afford to do that. We cannot continue bussing kids all over the county like we have in the past."

Also mentioned -- Lookout Mountain Elementary. It's the county's second smallest school, with about 170 students. If students are transferred to the closet school, they'd go to Calvin Donaldson. The move would create a more diverse student population.

Lookout Mountain's student body is 94% white. Calvin Donaldson's is 93% black.

Harrison Elementary has also been named. Built in 1939 , it's ranked 13th on the county's "Worst Condition" list. But Thurman argues the county should have been paying more attention to older buildings, like Harrison and Birchwood. She says if the county replaced them, instead of building new schools -- the district wouldn't be in financial turmoil.

Thurman says, "We got into this mess by building schools that we did not need. Now we're having to pay the piper and it's going to be painful, and we're going to end up closing a lot of good schools at the sake of just trying to keep a few people happy."

Again, that's a look at what COULD happen if the district decides to close some schools. Thurman says there will be "lots" of discussions and work sessions to talk about the proposals. She says it could take weeks -- if not months -- to reach a decision.

Read NewsChannel 9's Will Carr's related report, "Superintendent Addresses Controversies."