The nearly 100-year-old William James Middle School in Fort Worth ISD may be nearing the end of its life.
The district is considering closing either James Middle School or Morningside Middle School and combining students into a new campus. The new school would either be built on the site of James Middle School, with the old school being demolished, or adjacent to Morningside, with only part of that campus torn down. Students would continue to Polytechnic High School.
Similar discussions are happening about the middle schools that feed into Paschal and North Side high schools. The school board is expected to consider the plans at its May 28 meeting.
School board member Tobi Jackson, who represents James Middle School and Poly High, emphasized to parents and residents at an April 17 community meeting that students would not move into a new campus until the 2027-28 academic year.
“We know that what happens to each of these schools matters to each of us deeply,” Jackson said. “I want to stress that we have not made a decision yet.”
Declining enrollment pushed district leaders to begin looking at school closures and rethinking the $1.2 billion bond voters narrowly approved in 2021, said Kellie Spencer, deputy superintendent of operations.
Enrollment at both middle schools is down. James Middle has 771 students and a capacity of 1,058. Morningside Middle has 430 students and can hold up to 769 students.
District projections show the schools will have a combined enrollment of 1,093 students during the 2027-28 academic year.
Initial 2021 bond plans budgeted almost $53 million to renovate James Middle School and $55 million for Morningside Middle School. Now, district officials want to combine the budgets to fund construction of a new middle school.
Architects from design firms Corgan and Stantec presented early plans for a new middle school.
Stantec architects proposed building a new two-story campus north of the existing James Middle School. The current school would be demolished and a new track and athletic field constructed. Officials said the campus has no historic designations.
Corgan proposed a new two-story school be built next to Morningside Middle School. Part of the existing campus would be demolished. The original school, built in 1956, has a historic designation that would remain, according to the architect.
Both plans feature improved and more obvious entrances and parking.
The proposed Morningside Middle School is estimated to cost $67.4 million, while the James Middle School replacement has an expected price tag of $73.4 million, according to architects.
The Poly feeder pattern has two options for consolidating middle schools. The other two high school feeder patterns each have one.
Although a school likely will close, the situation presents an opportunity for a better experience for students, said Susan Hernandez, an executive director of secondary school leadership. The district can spend less on repairing an aging campus and redirect those funds to new classrooms.
The new middle school also can offer a wider range of programs, make staffing easier, and provide additional extracurricular activities, Hernandez said.
“When students are all together, we have a very large opportunity to think about how we’re providing them with consistent instruction and support,” she said.
Deputy Superintendent Karen Molinar acknowledged Fort Worth ISD faces a difficult situation as enrollment declines. Families have increasingly decided to enroll in charter schools and other school districts.
Some students will return, she said, but the area has a lower birth rate. Fort Worth ISD has to adapt to a smaller population of children.
New middle schools — and three elementaries — should help but won’t completely solve the issue, Molinar said.
“Not every campus can be a new campus when you have 140,” she said. “We are trying to be strategic about how we can use our bond dollars for facilities.”
Jacob Sanchez is an enterprise journalist for the Fort Worth Report. Contact him at jacob.sanchez@fortworthreport.org or @_jacob_sanchez. At the Fort Worth Report, news decisions are made independently of our board members and financial supporters. Read more about our editorial independence policy here.
This article first appeared on Fort Worth Report and is republished here under a Creative Commons license.
