The potential closure of one Albemarle County elementary school dominated talks for the board of supervisors Wednesday.
At this point, it's only a recommendation, but the idea of closing Yancey Elementary School has caused a major firestorm for the school board.
The recommendation in the final long range planning report is to close Yancey Elementary School.
Albemarle County School Board Member Diantha McKeel said, "I don't think people should be fearful that the small schools are going to be closed."
McKeel went before county supervisors Wednesday to assure them no decision on the future of Yancey, Scottsville and Red Hill elementary schools has been made.
"What I heard today is that there are still a lot of questions that need to be answered," said Albemarle County Supervisor Chris Dumler.
The report says it will cost almost $7 million to renovate Yancey. That's about $50,000 spent per student currently at the school. The recommendation is to move those students to Scottsville Elementary School, once a $10 million renovation is completed there.
"We have to justify the expense that we spend on our school because anything we spend on a facility takes away from our instruction," McKeel said.
Now the Albemarle County School Board has to decide if smaller sizes matter in rural communities, or if the dollars and cents win the argument.
Dumler said, "It's really the only thing that people in the rural area get some bang for their buck out there."
The long range plan will go before the school board in August. The earliest anything could be approved is in January.
