Another Baltimore City public school will padlock its doors for good in June.
According to schools spokeswoman Wendy Gordon, Southwestern High School is closing after the last of its 42 seniors graduates June 3.
The closing comes as the result of the beleaguered school system?s ongoing rezoning project, coupled with steady enrollment declines over the past few years.
“This, of course, is something that has been going on for years,” Gordon said of the rezoning initiatives that first went into effect three years ago.
Southwestern Principal Cecelia McDaniel confirmed the closing, saying that an All Class Reunion Day has been slated as part of the school?s final activities. That event takes place at 1 p.m. June 8 at the school, 200 Font Hill Ave.
“We are trying to come up with alumni and prior staff as well as people from the community” to share in the closing, McDaniel said.
Southwestern, which opened in 1971, graduated its first class three years later.
“Over the years, we?ve graduated more than 6,000 students and we have alumni who come from all walks of life,” McDaniel said. “We want to give our alumni and other supporters one more opportunity to visit the school again before its closes.”
Southwestern catered to at-risk and over-aged students in grades nine through 12. Overall, 182 students were enrolled this academic year.
McDaniel said the number was low because school officials and parents had anticipated the closing.
“We had some complaints about the closing last year,” McDaniel said. “But lately, no one?s been in an uproar about over. It?s like it?s been accepted that this is what will be.”
She said faculty, staff and students will be reassigned to other schools and programs within the school system this fall.
