Final farewell: It’s truly the last day of school at these six Wichita schools
When the final bell releases students Thursday, it will mark more than the beginning of summer vacation. For six longtime Wichita schools, it’s the end of an era.
Those schools — Clark, Park, Payne and Cleaveland elementary schools and Hadley and Jardine Magnet middle schools — will not reopen their doors in August.
Despite emotional pleas from students, parents and employees, the Wichita school board voted in March to close the buildings permanently as it works to plug a looming $42 million budget deficit. District officials originally said the closures would save $16 million, but they now say the cost-savings is closer to $12 million.
The closures will affect 2,213 students and 322 employees.
Students have been reassigned to other neighborhood schools for next year or given the chance to apply for magnet schools. Teachers and other support staff members who have not already accepted a new position by May 31 will be assigned one by the district if they choose to stay.
Here are profiles of each of the six schools:
A brief look at the history of Jessie L. Clark Elementary School and Clark herself
Cleaveland, a small and tight-knit school, is the only magnet elementary up for closure
Park Elementary history is interesting because it’s Wichita’s oldest operating school
Payne Elementary named for ‘kind of infamous’ man but also known for being tight-knit
Hadley Middle graduated two football stars. Today, students strive to ‘do the right thing’
Jardine school has always been a bright spot in the Planeview neighborhood
This story was originally published May 23, 2024 at 5:13 AM.