The Upper Darby School District wants to close the Charles Kelly Elementary School in Drexel Hill as a cost-saving measure, writes Pete Bannan for the Daily Times.
Closing the school could save an estimated $460,000.
Not everyone’s on board.
The school is in the former St. Charles Borromeo Catholic School building at 3400 Dennison Ave. and serves 285 students. It was opened in 2007 to relieve district overcrowding.
Students would go to Highland Park and Stonehurst Elementary Schools instead, with fifth graders going on to middle school.
The shift would mean one less bus run, but more crossing guards.
Parent Fefe Gwyan said at a public hearing last week the students would end up separated, and in larger classrooms with no more support.
Parent Joe Clark didn’t understand closing a school in a district that’s been overcrowded for years.
“Now we’re not getting a new school, we’re getting stuffed back into an already overcrowded (school) that’s already rundown,” he said.
He suggested kids remain at Charles Kelly until a new elementary school is built.
The district will continue to take public input in the next three months before a decision is made at the end of April.
Read more comments about the proposed school closing in the Daily Times.
