Less than ten years ago, Glastonbury Public Schools opened a school for grades PreK - 5, but Monday night the Board of Education discussed possibly closing two schools.
The reason for the change administrators say is due to a continuous decline in the birthrate, which means fewer students.
"Between this year and last year I think we've lost about 200 students," said BOE Chair Susan Karp.
Projections show an average of about 200 fewer students for the district every year.
Lawrence Niland, whose two boys go to Eastbury Elementary, attended the meeting and said those projections could be wrong.
"That might not be sustainable," said Niland. "So if that's not sustainable why are we going to close a school?"
Karp addressed that saying right now it's just a plan, one that can be adjusted.
The BOE was presented with two viable options for consolidation.
The first would close the 6th grade school in 2018. An elementary school would close two to four years after that.
The other plan could close Eastbury and Naubuc Elementary Schools by 2020. Administrators say each closure would save the district about $1 million a year, but it would come at a cost to personnel.
"We don't need that additional principal and there are other support personnel that we won't be needing in that school," said Superintendent Alan Bookman.
Parents like Niland just want to make sure a move like this doesn't affect their kids' education.
"I'm concerned. I want to make sure the board gets it right," said Niland.
No decision was made at the BOE meeting. The board stressed that it was one of many meetings that will take place. The next one is scheduled for June 9th.
