Sonny Carter closure included in two Bibb County school proposals
One option would also close Hartley Elementary, while a separate proposal could discontinue VIP Academy. No vote is scheduled Monday.
MACON, Georgia (41NBC/WMGT) — Sonny Carter Elementary School would close under either of two Bibb County school consolidation plans being presented to the Board of Education Monday night.
One option would also close Hartley Elementary School. A separate proposal could discontinue the district’s VIP Academy virtual program and could be combined with either consolidation plan.
HPM Leadership is presenting the options during a called board meeting beginning at the Professional Learning Center, located at 2003 Riverside Drive in Macon. The meeting started at 6 p.m.
Photos from the meeting show a packed room, with several attendees wearing shirts bearing the names of district schools, including Sonny Carter Elementary.
The board is not scheduled to vote on the proposals Monday. HPM’s presentation says the district will seek public feedback and complete facility assessments before any board action.
The presentation says the district’s adopted budget is contingent on closing two schools.
Option 1: Close Carter and Hartley elementary schools
Under the first option, Carter students would be divided among Heritage, Springdale, Union and John R. Lewis elementary schools. Part of the John R. Lewis attendance zone would move to Williams Elementary.
Hartley students would be divided between Ingram-Pye and Southfield elementary schools. Part of Ingram-Pye’s current zone would also move to Southfield.
Related boundary changes would move some students from Howard Middle to Weaver Middle and from Howard High to Westside High. Part of the area currently feeding Central High would move to Southwest High.
The presentation says the changes would affect 878 elementary, 83 middle and 241 high school students.
HPM estimates the option would avoid between $1.75 million and $2.75 million in annual costs after accounting for increased transportation expenses. It would also avoid an estimated $10 million renovation at Carter.
Closing Hartley could require five additional bus routes at an estimated cost of $50,000 per route.
Option 2: Close Carter Elementary
The second option would close only Carter Elementary and divide its students among Springdale, Heritage, John R. Lewis and Union elementary schools. Part of the John R. Lewis zone would move to Williams.
The proposal includes similar middle and high school boundary changes intended to improve feeder patterns.
HPM says the option would affect 513 elementary, 83 middle and 241 high school students.
The presentation estimates between $1 million and $1.5 million in annual cost avoidance, along with avoiding the estimated $10 million Carter renovation.
Both consolidation options would bring Springdale Elementary to 100% utilization.
HPM said Carter is being considered because all its students are eligible for bus transportation and the building needs renovations. Hartley is being considered because its enrollment is below 450 students and it is near the recently renovated Ingram-Pye Elementary.
Separate option: Discontinue VIP Academy
The district could also discontinue VIP Academy under a separate proposal that could be combined with either consolidation option.
HPM said VIP Academy began as a temporary online program during the COVID-19 pandemic. The presentation cites declining enrollment and an increasing cost per student.
Students could return to their attendance-zone schools, while the district would continue offering virtual learning through in-school academies.
HPM estimates discontinuing VIP Academy would avoid between $800,000 and $950,000 in annual costs.
The district plans to launch a community feedback survey that includes a school locator tool. Public engagement opportunities would be held before the board takes action on any consolidation or boundary changes.
Monday’s meeting is being livestreamed here.
41NBC’s Bre’Anna Sheffield is at the meeting and will have more coverage tonight at 11.
