Four schools are expected to close over the next few years after decisions were handed down from the South Shore Regional School Board. The immediate school to close will be Gold River-Western Shore Elementary, effective September of this year. That means students will attend Chester District Elementary this fall. SAC Chair for Gold River-Western Shore, Sarah Swinamer, says she wishes they could have had one more year for a transition period.Meanwhile, Pentz and Petite Riviere schools are also pegged to shut down if a new school is built in the area and Mill Village in Queens will close in September 2014, with students transferring to Dr. J.C. Wickwire. Other changes will see students from grades nine at Chester Area Middle School go to to Forest Heights in September 2014. New Ross will be reconfigured to be a primary to grade eight school in 2014, with grade nines also going to Forest Heights. Full details are available below.
New Ross Consolidated
- Motion is to reconfigure New Ross for primary to grade eight with grade nines going to Forest Heights beginning September 2014 is approved by a 6-2 vote (Board Members Griffin and Crossland vote against)
Mill Village Consolidated
- Board approves option 5-2 (Board Members Fougere and Crossland voted against, while Board Member Stevens declares a conflict with child in the school, so she doesn't vote) to close Mill Village and transfer students to Dr. J.C. Wickwire effective September 2014. Also, grade five students at Mill Village be transferred to new South Queens middle school in Liverpool when they enter grade six in 2013, leaving Mill Village reconfigured as a grade primary to grade five school. Board approves by a 6-1 vote. (Board Member Simms voted against)
Gold River- Western Shore Elementary
- Board Members approve motion to close Gold River-Western Shore Elementary in September 2013 by a 5-3 vote (Board Members Crossland, Griffin, and Stevens voted against). This means students will attend Chester District Elementary in the fall.
Chester Area Middle School
- The board approves a motion that will see students in grades 9 from CAMS attend Forest Heights in September 2014. This means CAMS would be reconfigured to include Grade 6,7,8 with 9-12 going to Forest Heights Community School in September 2014. The motion is approved by a 6-2 vote (Board Members Crossland and Griffin voted against).
Petite Riviere Elementary
- Board votes unanimously to permanently close Petite Riviere Elementary and request a new school be built to replace Petite and Pentz.
Pentz Elementary
- Board members vote unanimously that Pentz Elementary be permanently closed and request a new school to be built to replace Pentz and Petite Riviere Elementary.
Hebbville Academy
- Board members unanimously approve keeping Hebbville Academy open and with current configuration of primary to grade five and grades six to nine. (Board Chair Naugler removed herself from vote because she has three kids in the school.)