ORLANDO, Fla. – The last day of class was also a sad goodbye for some Orange County families.
As public school students wrapped up the year, seven Orange County campuses marked their final day before closing as part of a district consolidation plan tied to low enrollment. District leaders have said the enrollment drop made it financially unsustainable to keep the schools operating.
Those schools include Bonneville Elementary, Chickasaw Elementary, Eccleston Elementary, Meadow Woods Elementary, Orlo Vista Elementary, Union Park Middle, and McCoy Elementary.
The move will force thousands of students to transition to new campuses.
At McCoy Elementary, News 6 was there as the final morning announcement came on over the intercom.
“Very, very happy last day of school, everybody have a terrific, wonderful last day,” the announcement said.
Parents at McCoy fought the decision, even creating a petition that collected more than 1,700 signatures. The effort did not stop the closure, and Wednesday is the last day students will walk through the doors.
For Graci Guillen, whose 7-year-old daughter attends McCoy, the change has been emotional.
“It is a huge emotional shock for them. Their school is their second home,” Guillen said. “She asked me, ‘Why, Mom? I like my school. I like my teacher, my classmates, and my little friends.’”
Guillen, who lives near the school, said the closure will change the feel of the neighborhood.
“I will no longer hear the children playing in the park, the principal giving directions, or the daily activities happening at the school,” she said. “Now it is going to feel much quieter.”
Families across the district have criticized the consolidation plan and raised concerns about disruptions to daily routines. Amanda Webber, whose child attends Bonneville Elementary — another school that is closing — previously told News 6 the changes affect nearly every part of a family’s schedule.
“We are changing their before-school care, we are changing their after-care, we are changing their teachers — we are literally changing everything,” Webber said.
Guillen said McCoy leaders have provided information and resources to help families navigate what comes next as students prepare to start over at new schools.