A committee chartered to determine how to consolidate some of Huntsville’s schools gave its recommendations to the board tonight.  Here they are:

  • Consolidate Terry Heights and University Place elementary schools and build a new school for the consolidated student body in the area.
  • Merge Lincoln and Martin Luther King Jr. elementary schools after construction of a new school in the area.
  • Combine East Clinton and Blossomwood elementary schools after construction of a new school on the Blossomwood campus.
  • Consolidate West Huntsville and Morris elementary schools as soon as possible. The committee recommended renovating Morris by 2012 to accommodate the students.
  • Move students at Stone Middle School to the larger Westlawn Middle School campus. Renovate the consolidated Westlawn building by 2013.
  • Make better use of Butler High School. With about 700 students, Butler is at about 35 percent of its student capacity and costs $3 million a year to operate.

Closing six, building three, and renovating two would be a good start.  I’m eager to see the numbers behind the recommendations.  How much will it cost/save?  What capacity will the schools operate at afterward?  Will elected officials even have the political will to follow through with these modest recommendations?  Lot’s of questions…

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