Harlem School District Maybe Closing This Elementary School Next Year

Due to shrinking enrollment numbers, Harlem School District may be closing one of their elementary schools.

Marquette Elementary School could be closing for the 2021-2022 school year. This is just one of eight recommendations that have been brought up by the Harlem School Board to address the enrollment issues.

It is estimated that closing Marquette could save the district around $1 million annually. Then students who would've attended Marquette would then go to Machesney Elementary, which is currently for grades 4-6.

The Harem School Board has conducted several enrollment studies and reports since 2008 and it's dropped from 7,598 to 6,065 students.

Harlem School District Director of Stakeholder Engagement Jason Blume says that the decrease in student enrollment is due to families leaving the state, waiting longer before having children, or just having fewer kids.

We hope that our families recognize this is something we really need to do based on enrollment,” said Blume.

On March 9th, the Harlem School Board will meet and then vote on the recommendations.