A majority of Norfolk School Board members appear set to approve a plan to close nine schools by 2034, but hold off on developing a timeline of when most of the schools will close.

The School Board hashed out details of a school closure plan during a nearly three-hour-long meeting Wednesday, debating six proposals for shuttering the schools.

Enrollment in Norfolk Public Schools has been declining for years, and City Council members have asked the School Board to rein in operating costs by closing schools. Board members plan to vote on a closure plan during a Sept. 17 meeting. The plan would then head to Norfolk City Council for final approval.

The proposal backed by a majority of the seven-member board would close:

Willoughby Early Childhood Center
Berkley Early Childhood Center
Tarrallton Elementary School
Norview Elementary School
P.B. Young Elementary School
Granby Elementary School
Madison at Easton
Norfolk Technical Center
Norfolk Southeastern Cooperative Educational Programs Center

The plan would move students into other schools, repurpose Lake Taylor High School into a full career and technical education center, turn Chesterfield Academy into a new SECEP center and turn Lindenwood Elementary School into a professional development center for the school district.

However, only Willoughby Early Childhood Center and Berkley Early Childhood Center would have set closure dates of the 2026-27 school year under the plan.

The rest of the closure dates would be determined after the school district completed a redistricting process in the 2026-27 school year. The process would redraw attendance zones at schools to ensure balanced enrollment, increase the use of underpopulated schools and decentralize poverty, according to School Board documents.

The plan does not close Ghent School, but School Board Chair Sarah DiCalogero did not rule out shuttering the school and moving students to another facility after the redistricting process had completed. Ghent School parents and supporters have previously sparred with school officials over closure plans that included the facility.

The plan was created by School Board members Tanya Bhasin and Jason Inge and also gained words of approval from DiCalogero and Tiffany Moore-Buffaloe.

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DiCalogero said during the meeting the plan would still commit to closing one to two schools each year through 2034.

Inge defended the plan during the meeting, saying he and Bhasin developed the plan after members were not satisfied with previous plans.

“That’s what we’re supposed to do as board members: Come up with solutions,” Inge said. “And we came up with solutions for our community.”

City Council members approved a resolution in March asking the School Board to create a plan to close at least 10 schools by Aug. 1. In August, the School Board sent a letter to the city asking for a delay until Sept. 19 to vote on a plan.

Norfolk schools require more than $900 million in repairs, including $145 million in urgent needs, according to a consultant.

Trevor Metcalfe, 757-222-5345, trevor.metcalfe@pilotonline.com

https://www.dailypress.com/2025/09/12/norfolk-schools-to-close-plan/