Over the past year, Selma City Schools has explored the need to close schools.  We formed a Facilities Project Team as part of our new strategic plan.  There have been several opportunities for community input to include monthly board of education meetings and our State of our Schools Community Forum held last month.  We are now at a place where decisions need to be made.

Here are the facts.  Selma City Schools is operating more buildings than we need for our number of students.  We have a district capacity to support over 8,000 students yet our Pre-K through twelfth-grade enrollment is just over 3,000.  It is not cost-effective to operate at less than 50 percent capacity.

The facilities being discussed for closure, Byrd and Cedar Park, are aging.  There are structural and environmental concerns.  A number of costly repairs or upgrades would be needed to ensure that these schools offer a safe and healthy learning environment for our scholars.  We do not have the funds to make these upgrades.

Selma’s population has been on a downward trend for years.  In 1990 the population was over 23,000 and today is about 18,300.  Dallas County’s population has also decreased over the years.  Decreased population means decreased student enrollment.

Our schools are not performing proficiently academically.  We are stretching our resources across too many facilities. 

As superintendent, my goal is to ensure that we have quality over quantity.  As part of this we will invest funds saved by closing schools into our other schools to ensure academic excellence.

Specifically, we are creating Academies of Academic Excellence at each of our elementary schools.  This means that each school will have a specialty program that promotes literacy and college and career readiness.  Funds saved by closing schools can support this innovative approach to learning.  Elementary families will receive a survey this week about Academies of Academic Excellence.

Other funds can be used to provide much needed support for our scholars and teachers through instructional specialists for math, instructional technology and social emotional learning.  Additionally, more field trips and technology/facility upgrades can be made as we prioritize needs at all schools.

Closing schools is not easy. 

I understand the emotional attachment and the sense of loss.  I experienced this firsthand as an elementary school principal.  As we move forward, I want to assure the community that our focus will be on keeping students first.

If you want to hear more about why we need to close schools, please join me for a Community Meeting on Tuesday, Dec. 18 at 5 p.m. at Edgewood Elementary School. 

We invite you to be a part of the process.  Your voice is needed.

For more information, email me at avis.williams@selmacityschools.org.