Cary elementary school target for closure

In front of a Cary Junior High School gymnasium packed with more than 150 parents and teachers, Cary Elementary District 26 Superintendent Brian Coleman delivered the expected news: the District 26 administration is recommending closing Maplewood Elementary School.

Coleman's recommendation, developed by a team of 15 administrators during the summer and fall, came at Tuesday night's finance committee meeting.

The move is part of an effort to erase a deficit that is projected to grow from $1.9 million at the end of the current school year to $5 million at the end of next year.

"It saves the most amount of money for the district," Coleman said, while noting, to sustained applause, that Maplewood "is the highest achieving school in our district."

Many expected the district to target Maplewood for closure at the end of this year because it is the district's oldest and smallest school, with a capacity of about 375 students.

The administration also looked at closing Briargate School, Prairie Hill School or converting the district's schools into attendance centers - which would each include two complete grade levels.

The finance committee and, ultimately, the school board now must decide whether to accept the administration's recommendation, select another option or send the administrators back to the drawing board.

Whatever they decide, board members have expressed a clear desire to balance next year's budget after several years of running deficits.

"This board should close a building," board member Chris Spoerl said. "It's the fiscally responsible thing to do."

Coleman said Tuesday that the district will also look at layoffs or asking voters again for a tax increase to balance the 2010-11 budget. Voters in April rejected the district's request for $17 million in bonds.