Harlem School District Wants to Merge Two Campuses

Harlem School District wants to merge the High School campus with the Ninth Grade campus.

As a Harlem Alum, I've never given much thought to the fact their campuses aren't set up like most High School campuses. When I attended, the ninth grade students were in the same school as the seventh and eighth graders at Harlem Middle School. The Ninth Grade Campus didn't come to be until several years after I graduated. In fact, the current Ninth Grade Campus was known as the Hoffman Technology Center when I was in school. I didn't attend any classes there, but friends of mine did.

Now it seems the Harlem School District wants to merge the Ninth Grade Campus with the Harlem High School campus. WIFR reported on Monday that due to a projected decline in student enrollment, merging the two schools would be the right thing to do. This comes after a study shows that a decline of 1,000 students will continue over the next 10 years. So to enhance the student's experience, merging them would be the best.

As a parent with a child in the Harlem District, I don't see the issue with having all the High Schoolers in the same building. Just as long as this study is correct and the students don't become overcrowded. I would also like to see something beneficial go into the building of the current Ninth Grade Campus. Because as of right now they don't have a plan for that building. The school board is currently working on ideas for that campus if it does happen to close because of a merger. The school board will have a final vote on the student merger at their meeting on February 12th.