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Anniston City Schools consider consolidating campuses

Tuesday, April 17, 2012

Falling enrollment has Anniston school leaders trying to figure out how to re-organize their district and how charter schools can factor into it. Monday night during its work session, the Anniston Board of Education hashed out whether it should close down campuses.

The problem with Anniston campuses is declining enrollment. Since 1998, the system has lost over 1,000 students.

"We have seven facilities open for 2200 students," Joan Frazier, Superintendent said. "So we have gluts of students at some schools and small populations at other schools."

In order to equal out student enrollment, board members are looking at re-zoning elementary campuses. They are also considering closing Anniston middle and re-shuffling 6th, 7th and 8th graders to other campuses - or creating a new junior high or high school campus. By consolidating campuses, school leaders aim to improve programs.

"I would like to see an addition of curriculum options at the high school and middle school," Frazier said. "I would like to see an expansion of foreign language programs and career tech opportunities."

These options will save them a couple hundred thousand dollars-- with fewer utilities and less personnel.

"The best way to be a good steward is making sure you are getting the most bang for your buck," Dr. Mary Harrington, President of the Board said.

Monday night, board members took a closer look at what new charter school legislation will mean for Anniston students.

"It's like any improvement that has been made through the system is being punished," Harrington said. "If something is working then you allow the process to work."

"It's coincidental we are having this conversation on reorganization and consolidation of the school system in terms of lessening the number of facilities alongside with this proposed charter school legislation," Frazier said. "This has come at the same time so we are trying to do the best we can with taking all that into consideration."

The Anniston Superintendent stated that these changes could be put into effect by as early as the 2013-2014 school year.

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Keywords: Anniston City Schools, consolidating, enrollment, charter schools, Anniston Board of Education, campuses,

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