Orange County Public Schools (OCPS) has been holding community meetings to address the concerns of families over the potential consolidation of seven schools, including Bonneville and Orlo Vista Elementary schools, as well as Union Park Middle School. According to My News 13, Bonneville, which has been a fixture in the community since 1965, might shutter due to significantly lower enrollment numbers.
Bonneville is grappling with a student shortage of 570 fewer than its capacity, and the numbers indicate that the school has 300 fewer students than what OCPS officials deem necessary to keep the institution viable. Parent Sylvia Stamps, whose family has attended Bonneville for three generations, expressed her dismay, "It’s important to hear their voices. I wanted to receive their input because we’re going to be making decisions on the rezoning and where the kids will go, and I want to make an informed decision and plus my heart is breaking," OCPS Board Member Angie Gallo conveyed in a statement obtained by My News 13. Amid these concerns, further meetings at other schools, such as Chickasaw and Eccleston Elementary, are slated for the upcoming week.
In parallel, community discussions regarding the looming consolidation at Union Park Middle School brought to light the anxieties of parents. WESH reported that the most pressing question on parents’ minds is, "Why my school?" Union Park's capacity utilization stands at only 40%, compelling the district to consider consolidation. "Union Park is a wonderful, wonderful school. Unfortunately, it's only at 40 percent capacity, it's like 60 percent below its capacity, and we just can't afford the expenses to keep this school open, and it breaks my heart. I wish that wasn't the case," Angie Gallo stated.
OCPS maintained that funding relies heavily on student enrollment, and with projections of Union Park's student body remaining in the five hundreds for the next ten years, the financial viability seems tenuous. Another meeting is expected to occur at Bonneville Elementary School to further discuss these issues.
