Berkeley County parents not happy with plan to merge students at two elementary schools

BERKELEY COUNTY, S.C. (WCBD) – Some people living in northern Berkeley County say they are not happy about a decision to close an elementary school.

The Berkeley County School Board moved to close J.K. Gourdin Elementary School in Pineville – effective immediately.

“On Monday night, the board passed our general fund budget and there was an amendment in the passing of that budget to merge J.K. Gourdin with Saint Stephen Elementary,” said Katie Tanner, chief communications officer for the Berkeley County School District.

District administrators did not request the merger; however, discussions about a change have been happening for some time.

“Over the years, there has been a lot of board conversation about the cost efficiency of continuing to run J.K. Gordon Elementary even back to 2021. There were conversations at the board level about the declining enrollment and the current cost,” Tanner said.

The district will save significant money with the merger.

“Currently, to operate J.K. Gordin Elementary, it is $20,000 per student. To operate Saint Stephen Elementary, it is $15,000 per student. And to combine the operations it brings the per-student cost to $12,000 per student,” she explained.

That will save the district about $1.5 million per year. Tanner says that money will be used to help rural schools.

J.K. Gourdin has 103 students enrolled, and St. Stephen has around 283. They will have about 386 students when combined.

But some parents are not happy with the decision.

“J.K. Gourdin Elementary School is a historic landmark in our community,” said Prinscillia Sumpter, who is concerned about the merger.

Sumpter said three of her children attended the school.

“That was not done correctly or fairly. They should at least have the courtesy to communicate with the constituents. No one knew about this. This was like we’re looking at a budget meeting that turned into “we’re closing the school,” she said.

She is a member of the Upper Berkeley NAACP. They are holding a meeting this weekend, and plan to file a civil rights complaint about it with the U.S. Department of Education.

 The Berkeley County School District will also hold a meeting on July 2 to answer any questions and explain how transitioning to St. Stephen Elementary will work.

They will also talk about future plans for the building and facilities.

The schools are located about four and a half miles apart.

“Due to the close proximity of the schools, the bus system will continue to run and the students will just be dropped off at Saint Stephen Elementary,” the district said.

Teachers at J.K. Gordin will simply move to St. Stephen Elementary.