SIERRA VISTA, Ariz. (KGUN) — The Sierra Vista Unified School District is considering the closure of Joyce Clark Middle School due to declining enrollment and financial troubles, drawing a full house of concerned families and students to a town hall on Monday night.
The district's financial issues have already placed it on the Auditor General's high financial risk list. The governing board will vote on whether to approve the closure recommendation at its April 21 meeting.
Superintendent Terri Romo announced survey results indicating most current seventh grade families prefer to have their students complete eighth grade at Town and Country Elementary School, but remain on the Joyce Clark Middle School campus. The other option is to let next year's eighth grade class attend Buena High School.
"I just don't want to go back to elementary school," seventh grader John Kerley said.
"I just started enjoying middle school, and I just want to still be like a teenager over there," seventh grader Emma Wachtel said.
Students Emma Wachtel and John Kerley say more should be taken into consideration.
"Kind of tough, very tough for me, because I'm just gonna feel like a little kid, but I don't want to feel like a little kid again," Wachtel said.
"I think sending eighth graders to Buena High School is just, it's too early for them," parent Hortencia Kerley said. "I don't necessarily agree with that. I would definitely elect for him to go to the JCMS campus. Obviously, it's it's a little bit more of an inconvenience going back to that elementary school time. But you know, it is what it is."
District staff spent an hour answering questions from the audience, which consisted mostly of Joyce Clark Middle School staff.
"Nobody wants to be let go of their job," Hortencia Kerley said. "I wouldn't certainly want anyone to be let go of their job, but closing one school or even another school, how is that going to save the school district any money?"
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Alexis Ramanjulu is a reporter in Cochise County for KGUN 9. She began her journalism career reporting for the Herald/Review in Sierra Vista, which she also calls home. Share your story ideas with Alexis by emailing alexis.ramanjulu@kgun9.com or by connecting on Facebook.
