The Washington Parish School Board is set to vote on a proposal to close the upper school at Mt. Hermon beginning the 2027-28 school year.
According to the school district, Thursday night was the first time the school board and the community heard the proposal for the closure.
School officials claim declining enrollment, decreasing academic success, instability in school leadership, retention of qualified educators, depletion of course activity offerings, and ongoing financial deficits as the reason for this decision.
Tricia Smith, a spokesperson for the school district, said the change will provide students with “increased opportunity for dual enrollment classes, industry-based credentials and career technical education courses.”
However, the mention of better opportunities did not sway the Mt Hermon community.
Some students say they already have great opportunities and are taking dual enrollment classes. A former student explained how the dual enrollment classes offered at Mt. Hermon positively impacted her college journey.
“Five courses may sound small to someone else, but those credits allowed me to graduate a semester early,” the former student said.
Many asked the school district to slow the pace down on making their decision, others calling for more research and studies before a final decision is made.
“We have not conducted a formal study,” Smith said.
“How do you vote without a formal study?” Austing Schilling, a community member, said.
If the board votes “yes,” the students in grades 7th-12th will be transferred to Franklinton Junior High and High School.
Franklinton High is the same place a teacher was arrested for indecent behavior with a minor two weeks ago, making him the second teacher arrested at that school for a crime of this kind within the last year.
Another major concern for families is the emotional stress they believe uprooting the students will cause.
Some of the students fear not getting on sports teams believing there may not be any room on the rosters for them.
“You’re making us grieve a death that doesn’t have to happen,” a student said.
The school board will vote on this proposal Sept. 24 at 6 p.m. at the school board office in Franklinton.
WDSU asked the School Board president if he thought the community had enough time to process the information and get all of their questions answered before the vote at the end of the month.
The school board president said that they will delay the vote if the superintendent requests a delay.
READ MORE:Special meeting is set to vote on the closure of a Washington Parish junior high and high school
