school closure

Winston-Salem/Forsyth County Schools is considering closing Cook due to declining student enrollment and aging facilities.

District officials say enrollment at Cook has been declining over the last five years. The facility is also 75 years old and in need of major improvements.

A proposal for consolidation could come as early as September.

The four schools up for closure are Madison, Southern, Vandalia and Washington Elementary.

The state requires 1,025 hours of instruction per academic year. However, with multiple school closures due to snow and other weather-related events, the district is about 13 hours short.

Two Guilford County schools could close next year as the district moves forward with its $2 billion facilities master plan. The district will hold a public hearing on the closures on Dec. 12.