On the evening before the last day of school, parents, teachers and community members flooded the Winston-Salem/Forsyth County Board of Education meeting.
They came to speak out against the district’s proposal to end a lease for The Special Children's School and relocate students to a district-owned building in the 2027-2028 school year.
“For families like mine, this school is not just a building, it is safety, support, understanding and opportunity for children who already face challenges most people will never fully see," said Cassidy Bennett.
“When I heard about this, my heart collapsed," said Alethea Furches. "We need the support, we need them, we need the school.”
“You're giving yourself a huge liability, and you're taking away the only village that families like mine have," said Ashley Jones. "Please don’t do that.”
Cheryl Whitaker, a teacher at The Special Children's School, talked about the medical support that staff provides, like catheterization, G-tube feeding and seizure intervention.
"Our students benefit from being in an environment designed for these situations," she said. "EMS visits and emergency interventions can be disruptive and frightening for students in a traditional school setting."
Officials pitched the relocation idea as a way to save money. The district still has debt from a major budget crisis.
Declining enrollment is also reducing state funding and leaving some school buildings underutilized. Chief Operations Officer Lauren Richards says that’s why the district is exploring these options.
“We have a responsibility as staff and as the board to continue to reimagine how we utilize those facilities, how we're repurposing those facilities, and continuing to enhance the services we provide to students," she said.
The superintendent is recommending that all kids at The Special Children’s School move to Ward Elementary, which has nine available classrooms, but would require renovations.
Officials are also exploring reducing the square footage in the current lease agreement, which would save about $40,000 a year.
The school board decided to push the vote on the potential relocation to June 9.