FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. — Someone wore a bear costume and a “Save Bair” T-shirt to the Broward School Board meeting on Wednesday and stood next to Mark S. Lubelski, who pitched “an innovative partnership.”

Lubelski, Sunrise’s city manager, said Sunrise Mayor Michael J. Ryan, a few commissioners, and community partners stood behind the effort to prevent Bair Middle School’s closure.

“I can commit to continue a meaningful dialogue with the school board staff,” Lubelski said, later adding that “the goal” was “expanding our mutually beneficial partnership.”

In response to decreases in student enrollment that prompted budget concerns, school board members met to vote on Superintendent Howard Hepburn‘s plan to close seven schools and change some boundaries.

Jacqueline A. Guzman, Sunrise’s deputy mayor, said residential developments were underway, so there was a future need for the capacity at Blair Middle. Anna Fusco, the president of the Broward Teachers Union, was also opposed to closing the school.

“I don’t see how any city is going to operate with just one middle school,” Fusco told the school board members about Hepburn’s recommendation to close Bair Middle School and transfer students to West Pine, the only other middle school in Sunrise.

After students, teachers, and parents also delivered statements, Jeff Holness, a school board member who lives in Sunrise and had worked as a substitute teacher at Bair Middle, said the city’s proposal was “to occupy open seat space” and “co-locate city programs.”

Holness, a teacher who represents District 5, also suggested that if Biar Middle’s neighbor, Horizon Elementary School, adopts a new Montessori program, it “can be a wonderful feeder” into Biar’s already existing Montessori program.

“Let’s put Bair on hold for two or three years. Let’s see if these things will unfold,” Holness told his colleagues before their vote.

Nora Rupert, the school board member for District 7, and Maura McCarthy Bulman, the school board member for District 1, supported the idea of the Montessori program to attract more students.

Debra Hixon, a county-wide school board member, said she had decided to vote to keep Bair open because, after looking at the occupancy, she disagreed with moving Bair students to West Pine Middle School.

“When you move Bair Middle into West Pine, you are right at the capacity, and it doesn’t give any room for growth, and although we want to free up buildings, we also want to grow capacity,” Hixon said.

Adam Cervera, the school board member who represents District 6, also voted to keep Blair open, so the school board’s agenda item MM-7 failed 4-5.

“We are in a financial crisis,” said Allen Zeman, a county-wide school board member, about why he supported the superintendent’s recommendation to close Blair Middle School.

Sarah Leonardi, the school board member for District 3; Rebecca Thompson, the school board member for District 2; and Lori Alhadeff, the school board member for District 4, also voted to close Blair.

WATCH MEETING VIDEOS

Sunrise city manager

Sunrise city manager advocates for Bair Middle School

Sunrise’s deputy mayor

Sunrise’s deputy mayor advocates for Bair Middle School

School board members’ discussion

Students, parents, and teachers

Bair Middle School students, parents, teachers talk at school board meeting

Related documents

Agenda item MM-7

SIX SCHOOLS TO CLOSE

Broward School Board spares Blair Middle School, closes 6 schools

Sunshine Elementary School, at 7737 La Salle Boulevard, in Miramar
Panther Run Elementary School, at 801 NW 172 Ave., in Pembroke Pines
Palm Cove Elementary School, at 11601 Washington St., in Pembroke Pines
North Fork Elementary School, at 101 NW 15 Ave., in Fort Lauderdale
Seagull Alternative High School, at 425 SW 28 St., in Fort Lauderdale
Plantation Middle School, at 6600 West Sunrise Boulevard

Here is how Broward School Board spared Blair Middle School from superintedent’s cut list

About The Author

Andrea Torres