ORANGE COUNTY, Fla. – Michael Tiorik’s daughter went to McCoy Elementary, and now his four grandchildren attend the school.
Tiorik says the possible closure leaves his family with more questions than answers.
“Where are we going? I’ve got one in Head Start. Where do they go? They are all here. That’s the issue. I don’t know. It’s scary,” Tiorik said.
Tuesday night, the Orange County School Board agreed to direct district staff to begin drafting new school zoning maps for students who would be affected by the potential closure of seven schools, including McCoy.
School board member Maria Salamanca said, “Michael McCoy is the elementary school I went to. It is really unfortunate that my time on this board results in me closing the elementary school I attended,” Salamanca said.
District officials said enrollment has dropped by about 4% over the past three years—a loss of nearly 10,000 students. Tiorik says beyond the numbers, his biggest concern is logistics and stability for his family.
“I have an autistic grandson here. This is his regular routine,” he said, adding he worries about having to use their one car to get students to different schools.
Bonneville Elementary parent Amanda Weber started an online petition to save the school that has gained more than 1,000 signatures.
She says the disruption would be devastating for young students, including her son.
“We’re changing their before-school care. We’re changing their aftercare. We’re changing their teachers. We’re literally changing everything, and it’s during their most formative years,” Weber said.
Weber met her husband at Bonneville Elementary and says the school’s value goes far beyond the classroom.
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“We’re not just talking about your everyday teacher. We’re not just talking about your everyday specialty. We’re talking about these people who are our neighbors,” she said.
Superintendent Maria Vazquez said the enrollment decline has made it financially unsustainable to operate several schools at their current capacity. Still, many in the community say they aren’t ready to give up. McCoy Elementary PTO President Angelica Rujano says community voices matter.
“I know the numbers, and I think that is important, too. However, I think our opinion and our community are important, too,” Rujano said.
Orange County Public Schools says it will hold community meetings in affected neighborhoods in January to gather public input before any final decisions are made. Several parents say they plan to attend and make a final push to save their schools.
“Don’t destroy that. Maybe move the entire school to another place. They can rezone it, maybe. We have some ideas,” Rujano said.
Parents also say they hope to learn more details about the consolidation plan at those meetings.