The Clarksdale Municipal School District Board of Trustees announced a transformational series of moves, including the closing of Heidelberg Elementary School.
The moves also include “re-grading” schools throughout the district.
“The board considered three factors,” Clarksdale Superintendent Joe Nelson remarked in an open letter to the public dated February 22. Those factors were described as “operational costs with declining enrollment, maximizing federal ESSER allocations, and optimal alignment for both student learning and school accountability.”
The community has seen an 18-percent population decline between 2010 and 2020 according to the 2020 U.S. Census. That decline is reflected in the student population of both city, county and private schools.
Pursuant to the board’s decision in its Feb. 17 meeting, Heidelberg Elementary will close at the end of the 2021-22 school year.
The re-grading of the schools includes Kirkpatrick Elementary School becoming a Kindergarten through 2nd grade school, Oakhurst Intermediate Academy becoming a 3rd through 5th grade school, Booker T. Washington Elementary School becoming a Kindergarten through 2nd grade school, and George H. Oliver Elementary becoming a 1st through 5th grade school.
The board also announced that 3rd and 4th grade staff from Booker T. Washington Elementary School will be reassigned to George H. Oliver Elementary School. Also, the Kindergarten through 2nd grade staff at George H. Oliver Elementary School will be reassigned to Booker T. Washington Elementary School.
Sixth grade students will now attend Higgins Middle School, making Higgins a 6th through 8th grade middle school.
The J.W. Stampley 9th Grade Academy will become an early childhood center with pre-Kindergarten classes from all four elementary schools.
Clarksdale High School will become a 9th grade through 12th grade high school.
“Considering the changes being made to school buildings, staff members will be allowed to make transfer requests that will be reviewed by both school and district leadership,” Nelson added in his letter.
