Grapevine-Colleyville schedules meeting to decide fate of 2 elementary schools
Grapevine-Colleyville trustees will make a pivotal decision on where some elementary students will attend school next year during a specially called meeting Wednesday night.
According to the agenda, public comments concerning school closings and other items listed on the agenda won’t begin until 8 p.m. as there is an executive session to conduct interviews for an interim superintendent starting at 4:45 p.m.. The board will also consider the sale of property.
During the past few weeks, parents pleaded with trustees not to close Bransford Elementary in Colleyville and Dove Elementary in Grapevine stating that losing the schools would break apart neighborhoods and lead to a district that is no longer thriving.
Parents and Grapevine Mayor William Tate repeatedly asked trustees to pause any decision on school closures while more research is done to find solutions for the district’s financial troubles.
Many in the communities want trustees to wait until a new superintendent is on board. Brad Schnautz resigned in November to become executive director of the Region XI Education Service Center.
However, board president Shannon Braun told the Star-Telegram that the district cannot delay a decision on closing Dove and Bransford because Grapevine-Colleyville faces critical financial challenges as a result of declining enrollment, inflation and a lack of full funding from the Legislature.
According to school district documents, if Bransford and Dove elementaries don’t close, the projected budget shortfall is right under $3.2 million. The district expects to save $2.7 million by closing the schools.