- Fast Facts:
- Turrell school system set to join the Earle, Arkansas school system
- The school system's population is 347
- The merger has to be approved by the state
( Turrell, AR 3/5/09) School days for the Turrell School System could be coming to a close.
A school merger is in the works, which would combine the Turrell school system with the neighboring Earle school system.
Turrell High School is part of the Williams family history.
"My oldest son has graduated from here, my mom, my uncles, my cousins," said Sherrye Williams. Her youngest son is set to graduate in May. He might be the last Williams to do it from Turrell.
Arkansas law states that any school system with less than 350 students for two consecutive years must join another school system. Turrell's roll call stands at 347, which is less than required for the second year in a row.
Now the school superintendent Alfred Hogan had to find a solution. "To be proactive we've been working on this over a year, as far as trying to talk to our 5 neighboring school districts to see who would be interested in annexing the Turrell school district and what we found, there were hardly any takers," said Superintendent Hogan.
Only the Earle school system is willing to take in Turrell students. The Earle board plans to keep Turrell Elementary open and close Turrell High School. Those students will be bussed to Earle which is an hour and fifteen minutes away in some cases.
Hogan says the new school system will provide great opportunities for the students that they didn't have at Turrell, especially extra curricular activities. As for the 15 high school teachers, half of them will loose their jobs. Hogan is hopeful they will find placement in the new school system.
Along with the students, state money will also go to Earle. The merger won't go into effect until the fall, but residents like Sherrye Williams aren't ready to say goodbye. "Turrell is family, like I said we were born and raised here, I like the school," said Williams. The state board will meet in April to approve the merger. Superintendent Hogan expects the deal will be approved.
