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MECCA --With the closing of Maplewood Elementary School slated for the end of the current school year, a timeline has been set for moving classroom equipment and materials from the building in Greene to Maplewood Middle School in Johnston.
School Superintendent Perry Nicholas and members of the board of education talked about the moving plans during the recent board meeting.
The district's plans call for the 2017-18 school year to have Grades K-6 housed at the middle school, while grades 7-12 will be at Maplewood High School in Mecca. About 380 students will be in Johnston, while about 330 will be in the expanded high school that is adding grades 7 and 8.
Nicholas said there will be modifications to some middle school classrooms to accommodate kindergartners. He said lockers at the middle school will be converted to ''cubbies'' for grades K-3. Smartboards will also be moved into classrooms.
The county preschool unit that was housed at the Greene building will be relocated to Bristol Elementary School.
Nicholas said a new playground will be created in two phases at the middle school.
The elementary school will be used for the last time in May for a primary election voting site. The annual Greene Home Day will be held Labor Day on the school grounds but not in the building.
At the high school, less work will need to be done, but walls will be added to divide classrooms like the computer lab.
Nicholas said about half of the district's 50 teachers are moving to either a different room or to a different building.
Officials said the district will post a timeline of moving events on the district's website.
An open house will be held in August to show off the new setup before classes begin Aug. 28. Nicholas said there also will be a final open house at the elementary school before it closes.
Greene resident Yvonne Postlethwait said residents aired concerned about the school closing during a public meeting hosted by Greene trustees in March. The Greene Historical Society has expressed interest in the memorial plaques located near a pine tree on the exterior school grounds, Postlethwait said.
The district will review the historic items in the school that are not being moved, although board President David Drawl said nothing of historic value will be left at the Greene building.
The board members said closing the school was caused by a 37 percent declining enrollment since 2000, amounting to a loss of roughly 450 students. Officials said 56 students left in the past year.
Postlethwait said promoting open enrollment in the district is necessary to get more students and preventing redistricting. Drawl said the district would receive more state money through the addition of students.
bcoupland@tribtoday.com