TEMPE, AZ — With the first round of closures happening at the end of the month for the Kyrene School District, ABC15's Nick Ciletti followed up with district officials to see how they are preparing the community for the upcoming changes.
The first group of three schools will close at the end of the current school year, which includes Kyrene de las Manitas, Kyrene de la Estrella, and Kyrene de la Colina.
At the end of the 2026-2027 school year, the next three schools will close, which include the Kyrene Traditional Academy, Kyrene Akimel A-al Middle School, and Kyrene del Pueblo Middle School.
A total of six schools are closing as a result of a drop in enrollment and a decrease in funding - something a number of Valley districts have experienced over the past few years.
After the Kyrene School District Governing Board decided which schools would close in December, Erin Helm, the district's executive director of communications and engagement, says officials got to work trying to map out transportation, Pre-K, special education, and moving furniture and technology.
Helm says the planning goes beyond the physical transition; a number of families had reached out to ABC15 asking what the district was doing to help with the emotional needs of families throughout the changes.
"First, we make sure the infrastructure is there to make them feel supported," says Helm. "One of the things we have done is to create a handbook that's a moving guide and describes things like how your stuff gets packed, how you access your new building, and then of course we're hosting welcoming events which are about coming together...So really, it's about moving forward in a positive way and seeing what's possible while also respecting the legacy of where we have been."
Helm says the Kyrene District has also created something called "The Guiding Coalition," which is made up of current staff members to help educators and families feel connected during this period of change.
See more of ABC15's education coverage, including the latest on school closures and district decisions, here.
