School board votes to close Gilbert Junior High School

GILBERT, Ariz. (KSAZ) - The school board has unanimously voted to close Gilbert Junior High School.

After about five years of discussion, the school board voted 5-0 to closed the junior high school. Students will be moved to Mesquite Junior High School and in another unanimous vote, the school board authorized Gilbert Classical Academy to move into the Gilbert Junior High School building.

The school board says two major factors played into the decision to close the school: Under enrollment and Gilbert Classical Academy.

Both Gilbert and Mesquite Junior Highs have fallen below capacity in recent years and neither is expected to return to capacity on their own in the near future.

Gilbert Classical Academy, which is a school for seventh through 12th grade honors students, needs a better building and has been operating out of a temporary campus for about a decade.

Gilbert Junior High School can hold about 1,200 students and was only expected to have 400 enrolled in the fall.