Kent City School District plans on closing two of its schools in the upcoming 2014-2015 school year.

Parents in the district received an automated call last Wednesday informing them that Franklin Elementary and Central School would be closing.

According to KCSD’s Plan for the District’s Future Financial Stability, the board voted to reduce the number of schools last Monday after looking at decreasing enrollment statistics. Enrollment at Franklin Elementary has gone down the most at almost 45 percent over the years.

Along with cutbacks, staff reduction will take place, according to KCSD’s plan. The school does anticipate a few dozen retirements in the next two years due to changes to teachers’ pensions, which may give veteran teachers an incentive to retire.

The plan also notes that consolidation will eliminate fixed operating costs of both the Franklin and Central buildings. The school estimates savings of almost $1.5 million dollars each year, as well as additional cost-saving measures.

Superintendent Joseph Giancola declined to comment on the closures. Check KentWired for continued updates throughout this transition.

Alexis Gillies is a city reporter for TV2. Contact Alexis at [email protected].