Glenwood Elementary is closing – What’s Next For Students?

SCHOOLS

By Tyria Bourda
Correspondent

The Chapel Hill-Carrboro City Schools Board of Education has voted to permanently close Glenwood Elementary School, marking the end of more than seven decades of history for one of the district’s oldest campuses. In a unanimous 7-0 vote on June 4, the board approved closing the school effective for the 2027-28 school year.

During the July 16 school board meeting, Glenwood Elementary families learned that about 400 students could be reassigned to either Mary Scroggs Elementary School or Rashkis Elementary School when Glenwood closes in August 2027. However, families are still wondering whether students will remain together or be split between the two schools.

Where Will Students Relocate To?

The two proposed schools have been identified as potential hosts for the students and specialized programs that need to relocate.

The Chapel Hill-Carrboro City Schools is working with the SchoolCAMP team at North Carolina State University to develop two options for relocating students and specialized programs, in collaboration with the Institute for Transportation Research and Education.

• Move students and programs to a new school designed to accommodate up to 492 students across 24 K-5 classrooms.
• Distribute students and programs between two schools. This plan would also serve the same number of students, but each school would have to allocate 12 classrooms specifically for STEAM2 and language programs. However, it is possible that up to 223 current students will be displaced.

STEAM² & Mandarin Program

Parents have voiced strong support for continuing the STEAM Squared (STEAM2) magnet program and the Mandarin Dual Language Program, which provides students with 90 minutes of Mandarin instruction each week. The STEAM2 curriculum integrates science, technology, engineering, arts, and mathematics. Together, the programs serve about 400 students.

During the July 16 meeting, parents and students from Glenwood reminded the board of the value the STEAM2 program brings to the district. Parents voiced concerns about separating the Mandarin and world languages programs, which would disrupt the learning experience of students already enrolled.

CHCCS is among the pioneering public school districts in the U.S. to implement a Mandarin dual language program, with offerings at Glenwood Elementary and Phillips Middle School.

Glenwood Elementary currently has no students zoned to attend based on their residential location. Several board members indicated that this influenced their decision, as closing Glenwood would streamline the redistricting process and minimize the impact on students throughout the district. Parents of Glenwood students expressed concerns about their children’s acceptance into other schools. Notably, over a third of the student body at Glenwood is Asian.

“You’ll be taking a group of students who are learning a specific language, embracing a specific culture, and you will be placing them into a community where no one else is doing so. You will be highlighting their differences,” said Glenwood parent May Yen.

PTA Calls For Transparency

Jen Tang, secretary of the Glenwood PTA, told TLR in an emailed statement that while the PTA recognizes the district’s significant challenges, including declining enrollment and financial constraints, its primary concern is how those decisions are being made.

The PTA urges district leaders to invest in bilingual and bicultural education, maintain neighborhood walk zones whenever feasible, create a written, funded, and measurable implementation plan for STEAM², and collaborate with families, educators, and affected school communities to devise solutions that benefit the largest number of students.

“Successful bilingual programs depend on stable staffing, sustained enrollment, strong leadership, and cohesive school communities. Continued uncertainty and the absence of a clear, credible implementation plan threaten each of those conditions,” said Tang. “District leaders need to act now to retain experienced educators, reassure families, support receiving schools, and demonstrate that the program has a viable long-term future.”

Additionally, Tang mentioned that the PTA is asking the district to revise and clarify its July 16 presentation, enabling the Board of Education and the public to assess the proposed options based on complete, accurate, and consistently applied information.

Letters supporting the Mandarin Program

Support for preserving the Mandarin Dual Language Program has also come from statewide and national bilingual education organizations.

On July 18, the Carolina Association for Bilingual Education (CarABE) sent a letter to the CHCCS Board of Education urging members to keep the program intact. CarABE President Yamil Ardila Bullock said North Carolina has long been recognized as a national leader in dual language education, adding that eliminating an established program would risk years of investment in curriculum development, teacher expertise, community partnerships, and family trust.

Three days later, on July 21, the National Association for Bilingual Education (NABE) echoed those concerns in a letter to Superintendent Rodney Trice and Deputy Superintendent of Operations Al Ciarochi. NABE President Dr. Margarita Machado-Casas wrote that separating the Mandarin program would have implications beyond Chapel Hill-Carrboro, noting that districts across the country are watching how school systems support multilingual education.

Both organizations urged district leaders to preserve the Mandarin Dual Language Program, arguing that maintaining strong bilingual education programs supports student achievement, strengthens school communities and prepares students for success in an increasingly global society.

What does the district’s tight budget mean for families?

During the July 16 meeting, Board member George Griffin acknowledged the district’s financial challenges. He expressed concern that this year’s county funding would not be sufficient to prevent further budget cuts, especially following recent layoffs.

“Shutting down one school won’t resolve our financial issues, but it is a significant step in demonstrating our commitment to preserving as many of our programs, services, and teachers as possible,” Griffin stated.

Like numerous school districts across North Carolina and the nation, Chapel Hill-Carrboro City Schools is grappling with budget constraints due to rising operational costs and declining student enrollment.

Chapel Hill-Carrboro City Schools currently has approximately 1,000 fewer students than it did before the pandemic, reflecting an 11 percent decrease since 2017.

Next Steps:

CHCCS shared the redistricting timeline on Facebook. The board could decide Aug. 20 where Glenwood students and programs will relocate. It could approve a districtwide redistricting plan over the winter, then release a final version to the public next spring.

“As we begin this transition, we are committed to minimizing disruption for students and families as much as possible. Glenwood will be open as usual for the entire upcoming school year (2026-27). Initial redistricting planning involving all elementary schools will begin in the late summer/early fall, and the District will launch a comprehensive public process that includes community meetings, draft options, opportunities for feedback, and revisions before any final decisions are made.”

Tyria McCray-Bourda is a story-driven journalist whose work has previously appeared in The Carolinian newspaper in Raleigh. Attaining a bachelor’s degree in communication from Southern New Hampshire University, she has the distinction of having interviewed President Joe Biden when he was a candidate on the campaign trail, as well as Vice President Kamala Harris. This reporter can be reached at: Information@TheLocalReporter.press