PHOENIX — As Valley students head back to school, some students and staff from the Phoenix Elementary School District are working to adjust to new campuses after the district chose to shutter two at the end of the last school year.
Anisa, a fifth grader at Capitol Elementary, went to the Dunbar School last spring. However, Dunbar and Heard Elementary closed at the end of the school year and more than 500 students in those schools had to go to other Phoenix Elementary campuses.
The district closed the two campuses, citing a decline in enrollment and a decrease in funding. District leaders say these measures were cost-cutting, and they weren’t the only district last year to close some schools. Others included Cave Creek Unified, Roosevelt Elementary School District and the Isaac Elementary School District.
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While Anisa said she misses her old school “a lot,” she’s been adjusting to the new school.
"I feel less nervous because I thought I wasn’t going to recognize anyone that went to my old school,” she told ABC15.
Capitol School eighth grader Lorenzo is also adjusting after moving from Heard Elementary last year.
"I was low-key scared and to be honest, it's not really that scary when you finally come. Everybody is nice here,” he said.
A district spokesperson said they were able to find positions for staff from those two closed schools. Sixth-grade teacher Eric Wirth says the transition has been smooth.
“Selfishly, it worked out really well because it was a closer commute. But, I really liked the schedule with the transition, having a three-teacher team really allows us to open up the curriculum as far as who wants to teach what,” Wirth said.
As for the two schools that closed, Dunbar is sitting empty as the district continues to figure out plans for it. Heard Elementary has a building occupied and leased by a Head Start class as well as a private autism school.
When the district decided to close the two schools, they also told the community they’d use those buildings for educational purposes. A district spokesperson said they are saving some money as the unoccupied school buildings are closed and are not using power.
