Schools Closing and Moving

So the final vote of the school board was that Hazel Park Middle School co-locate with Battle Creek Middle School and that Sheridan and Ames Elementary Schools co-locate at the vacated Hazel Park Middle School. This arrangement will be in effect for at least 3 years.

Although this is good news in the sense that all eastside neighborhood schools remain on the eastside, it means that the various eastside neighborhoods are in danger of losing their identity and their assets - again. This is better than the original school board proposal, but not the best solution for District 1 neighborhoods.

There was a THIRD proposal to create two K-8 schools, one in the Hazel Park area (co-locating Ames and Hazel Park Middle), and one in the Battle Creek neighborhood (co-locating Sheridan - or other D1 elementary schools - and Battle Creek Middle School). But this didn't fly.

Again, I ask the question -- what makes a good, healthy neighborhood?? Are neighborhood assets, such as schools and libraries, parks and local businesses important? How is the health of the community affected as we lose local parks and schools?