First at Five, November 17, 2008

RICHMOND COUNTY, Ga.---After eight months of planning the Richmond County school system narrows its' plan to close schools. It's a plan some parents like, but others say it will keep them from sending their kids to public school.

Margie Hall remembers the days she went to Monte Sano Elementary, but now she's not sure if she'll send her kids there if it turns into a K-8 school.

"I think of those kids that are in just the sixth through eighth grade and how badly they're doing right now, but I just don't know how good that would be for the younger children," said Hall.

That's part of a rightsizing plan for Richmond County schools, though. The board is trying to figure out how to best use its buildings to save money.

A company proposed the school system close the Bungalow Road Alternative School and move it to Tubman Middle School.

Under the plan, no students would be zoned for Tubman anymore, so other schools like Monte Sano Elementary would host kindergarten through eighth grade. The kids who would normally leave and go to Tubman would just stay at Monte Sano.

Other possible K-8 schools include Hornsby, Collins, Lamar, Craig-Houghton, and Milledge.

School officials say these types of schools can actually be safer than traditional ones.

Hall sees both sides, but when her kids are ready for school in 3 years, she isn't sure she'd take the chance.

"It could go great and it could go horribly," said Hall.

The plan is not finalized and the board hopes to take a final vote at their December meeting.

Then in the spring they will continue to make more decisions of where to place students.

They must also hold public hearings, but have not set the dates yet.