Rochester City School District is further exploring the possibility of closing Northwest Middle School, district officials said this week.
In February, the district considered a recommendation to close Northwest Middle School and to merge the school with Andrew Langston Middle School.
During the public comment portion of an RCSD board business meeting in February, Northwest staff and parents voiced their concerns about the closure, urging the district to allow more community input on the matter.
Discussions about closing the school have now risen again. District Spokesperson Marisol Ramos-Lopez said in an email Wednesday that Superintendent Dr. Eric Jay Rosser met with Northwest’s staff last week to discuss the merger with Andrew Langston Middle School.
Lopez also mentioned that Rosser held a meeting for parents on Monday but none attended the meeting. A public hearing was held during the school board’s business meeting on Dec. 9, but no one attended to comment, Lopez said.
“The district understands these changes may not be easy. We have assured our school community that this recommendation was made with great care and a strong focus on what is best for the students,” Lopez said in an emailed statement. “By consolidating our middle school programs together at the Douglass Campus, we can concentrate our resources where they matter most: on providing students with strong academic programs in modern, well-resourced learning environments.”
The RCSD board is set to vote on this proposal during their monthly meeting on Dec. 18.
— Kerria Weaver works as the Government and You reporter for the Democrat and Chronicle, with a focus on how government actions affect communities and neighborhoods in Rochester and in Monroe County
This article originally appeared on Rochester Democrat and Chronicle: Will RSCD close Northwest Middle School? District considering it
Reporting by Kerria Weaver, Rochester Democrat and Chronicle / Rochester Democrat and Chronicle
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