Shaler Area board votes to close elementary school as part of redistricting plan

The Shaler Area school board voted unanimously to start the process of closing the elementary school as part of a districtwide reconfiguration. 

The district calls this a long-term plan to streamline grades and strengthen academics, but it also means saying goodbye to an elementary school that generations of families grew up with. 

"My first reaction was how are we going to do this? It's so soon, how are you going to put all these kids together in one building?" said parent Michelle Craig. 

Parents say the plan may improve academics long-term, but the immediate question for many is what this transition will look like. 

"I just want to make sure that I understand fully how it's going to happen," Craig said. 

Craig has a third grader and a fifth grader in the district. She initially had several concerns, including making sure her kids wouldn't be losing access to their favorite activities and that they wouldn't be packed into overcrowded rooms. 

"Definitely class size, making sure we're keeping what we have. We don't want to go over what we have today, which is roughly around 20 kids per class," Craig said. 

The "Building for Tomorrow" initiative keeps all primary schools — Burchfield, Marzolf, Scott and Reserve — open for kindergarten through third grade. Next school year, fourth graders will stay in those neighborhood buildings, while Shaler Area Elementary will house only fifth and sixth grade. Then, at the end of the 2026-2027 school year, both grades will move up to the middle school.

In a statement, the district said, "This decision follows several years of study, discussion, and community engagement, focused on enrollment trends, facility needs, instructional programming and the values that define our neighborhood schools. The Building for Tomorrow initiative is designed to support student-centered learning, reduce transitions, and position the district for long-term operational sustainability."

"I did meet with Dr. O'Black, the superintendent, last week, and I will say that he did ease my concerns a lot. He was able to answer a lot of the questions," Craig said. 

"I just encourage parents to make sure they're also asking the questions in the correct forum," Craig said. 

The district says it will keep families updated throughout the transition and release more details as the closure process moves forward.