Carver/Century Closing: Reaction From Principal, Mayor

January 9, 2009

Thursday was a sad day in Century, according to those close to the announced closure of Carver/Century K-8 School.

“It’s a sad, sad day in Century,” Mayor Freddie McCall said. “I don’t know what we can do but pray, and hope the school board turns it down and keeps our school open.”

The tears flowed early Thursday morning at Carver/Century, according to Principal Jeff Garthwaite, when Superintendent Malcolm Thomas announced the closure to the school’s staff and faculty.

“The teachers here have a passion for the students,” Garthwaite said. “They cried out of a serous concern for our kids.”

“We begged him to give us three years without the cloud of closure over heads,” McCall said. “We could turn this thing around.”

McCall said Thomas told him that the school could stay open if the town could come up with $400,000 in funding for each of the three years.

“Lord knows, I’ve got no idea where that kind of money could come from,” McCall said. “We can’t sell hotdogs or wash cars for that kind of money.”

“I don’t know where we are at,” the mayor said. “I still hope that the board members will still give us some kind of relief or grace period until we improve.”

Even though they were unhappy with the decisions made by Thomas, both Garthwaite and McCall acknowledged that Thomas had “done his homework” in McCall’s words.

Garthwaite said his teacher and staff were very appreciate that Thomas visited with them face to face to make his announcement.

“I respect him for all he has done,” McCall said. ” I just wish he would understand that we are in a unique situation and give us a chance. I don’t know the answer to this, but I am not going to give up.”

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Written by William Reynolds · Filed Under News