Parents fight to prevent elementary school closure

BREVARD COUNTY, Fla. — Parents in Brevard County tried, for a third time, to prevent school district officials from closing Sea Park Elementary in Satellite Beach.

The superintendent proposed closing it for the third time in the past decade after residents voted down a sales tax for schools.

Parents organized and fought to keep the school open when the district starting drawing new boundaries for all schools last winter.

"We were told last year it would be two to five years before they would look at it again and here we are again," said parent Patti Brasington.

School district staff said they chose four schools across the county to mothball in order to save about $4 million dollars in operational costs to be used to repair other aging schools.

Administrators said the schools were chosen using a variety of factors, including proximity to other schools and special programs.

"I'm hoping, I'm hoping they pull through and figure something out," said Brasington.

Sea Park Elementary is more than 50 years old, but parents said they aren't looking for a new building. They said they just don't want their students and their sense of community bused somewhere else.

The school district said it plans to hold three other meetings for the other three schools on the chopping block.

A final decision isn't expected until January.

WFTV