Public Hearings Set On Eastanollee Elementary

The Stephens County Board of Education has set public hearings surrounding the proposed closing of Eastanollee Elementary School.

Those public hearings will be on March 30 and on April 13.

Both hearings will start at 6:30 p.m. and will be held in the Tugaloo Center for the Performing Arts at Stephens County High School.

Stephens County School Superintendent Bryan Dorsey said two public hearings are required by state law before a final vote can be taken to close a school.

Last week, the Stephens County Board of Education voted to authorize Dorsey and school system staff to initiate a Fiscal Year 2016 budget reduction plan that would initiate the possible closing of Eastanollee Elementary, develop a reduction in force plan, and re-structure grades Pre-K through five.

Under the proposal announced last week, the school system would close Eastanollee Elementary and move all Pre-K and Kindergarten students to Big A Elementary, 1st and 2nd grade to Liberty Elementary, and 3rd and 4th grades to Toccoa Elementary.

Fifth grade would then move to Stephens County Middle School in a separate Fifth Grade Academy.

The plan, which includes other cuts, would also result in a reduction in force of 25.5 positions, not including any lost to retirement or resignation.

According to Dorsey, the total plan presented last week would save the school system an estimated $1.9 million a year as of now.

He said the cuts are necessary in order to help get the school system back to a position where it is not borrowing money through Tax Anticipation Notes to fund school system operations before the start of a fiscal year.

After the public hearings, the Stephens County Board of Education will have to take a final vote before implementing any plan that would involve closing Eastanollee Elementary.

Dorsey said he would like that final vote to take place in the next month or so.