The Mobile County School Board prepared to vote in April 2009 on proposed school closures, consolidations and a move for the system’s math and science middle-school magnet program.
The agenda included possible closures of Hillsdale Middle School, Woodcock Elementary and Fonvielle Elementary. Board members were also set to consider relocating the math and science magnet program from Clark to the former Shaw High School.
Fonvielle supporters made a final appeal
Students, parents and teachers gathered before the vote to urge the board to keep Fonvielle open. Families cited transportation concerns, including the difficulty of getting children to other campuses and fears about students crossing Martin Luther King Jr. Avenue and Three Mile Creek.
Supporters also argued that facility needs at Fonvielle were the result of years of inadequate investment. Board President Ken Megginson said studies of the building found that repair costs did not justify keeping the campus open.
Old Shell Road recommendation changed
Old Shell Road Magnet School had originally appeared on the closure list, but Superintendent Roy Nichols later recommended that it remain open. Megginson said the board had concluded that moving Old Shell Road to Dunbar was not the appropriate step at that time, while leaving open the possibility of revisiting the building in later years.
The scheduled meeting at Vigor High School marked a decisive point in the 2009 school-reorganization debate. The competing arguments focused on facility costs, neighborhood access, student safety and the fairness of how the district evaluated different campuses.
This article records the proposals and public discussion before the vote. It does not state the board’s final action or the later status of the affected schools.