Sample letter on the importance of a complete and transparent process for CHCCS rightsizing

Subject: Ensuring a Complete and Transparent Decision Process

Dear Members of the CHCCS Board of Education,

I am writing regarding the Board’s consideration of potential elementary school closures. I respectfully ask that any permanent decision be made through a complete, lawful, and transparent process, consistent with the Board’s statutory responsibilities.

A facilities-based assessment alone does not constitute a comprehensive school closure study. North Carolina law requires a comparative, student-centered evaluation before moving toward closure, including consideration of educational impact, equity, access, geographic conditions, transportation, and available alternatives.

Once options are narrowed, public engagement becomes reactive. For this reason, I urge the Board to ensure that the required comparative analysis is completed and shared publicly before proceeding.

If, and only if, Seawell Elementary is considered, it is important to recognize that the school provides significant, non-transferable educational assets that would be permanently lost through closure.

Thank you for your time and consideration.

Sincerely,

[Your Name]

Sample letter on the importance of three-school corridor

Subject: Retaining High Value Co-Located Asset

Dear Members of the CHCCS Board of Education,

I do not believe that Seawell Elementary school is a good candidate for closure. The campus co-location with Smith Middle and Chapel Hill Highschool, makes the Seawell Elementary site an irreplaceable high-value asset. Instead of closing one of the assets in this powerful trio, it would be prudent to increase collaboration amongst them.   

Because of the proximity of schools, Seawell falls into the favorable quadrants on the left side of the Cost/Impact Matrix at the end of the December 2025 Board Retreat presentation. This chart (pasted below) highlights the importance of leaning into low cost/high impact assets. Here the focus is on school programs, but there are numerous ways in which the three schools benefit from proximity to each other and students benefit for up to 13 years.   

There are many ways that, as the slide suggests, these benefits could be scaled up for impact at a low cost. For example, a simple website containing participant contact information and a form for proposals is all it would take to connect interested staff, students, and enrichment chairs.    

During a critical time when public schools must compete against private and charter schools, removing Seawell from the CHCCS portfolio would be a foolish move. Seawell has many attributes that draw parent attention to the area. These features cannot simply be replicated or transferred to another school and are a significant reason families choose public school. The unique campus design should be understood as an educational asset, not a liability. The open campus design and outdoor learning resources (garden, barnyard, woods) are attractive to parents who would otherwise choose Emerson Waldorf or Carolina Friends—as well as parents of Exceptional Children.   

Seawell Elementary is a workhorse and a star in the CHCCS portfolio, maintaining a national and international reputation for academics while serving an incredibly diverse student population (ethnically, socioeconomically, and neurologically). WeI respectfully ask the Board to pause and ensure that any closure study is conducted in a comprehensive, transparent, and student-centered manner before moving forward. A proper evaluation will show that Seawell is a school worth continuing.

Thank you for your time and consideration.

Sincerely,

[Your Name]

💙 Seawell Response to Possible School Closure Announcement:

Dear Fellow Seahawk Families,

You may have seen the message sent by CHCCS to families and staff at Seawell, Glenwood, and Ephesus regarding the district’s consideration of potential elementary school closures. This was also discussed at the most recent CHCCS Board of Education meeting on January 15 (Meeting Video and Agenda, discussion of potential closures begins at around the 2hr 15min mark and ends at the 3hr 22min mark.) 

The Seawell PTA does not believe that Seawell is appropriate for closure. Below is a brief summary of points we feel the Board of Education should consider.

Decision Framework: As the District continues this process, we respectfully urge the Board of Education to clearly articulate the criteria being used to evaluate closure. We believe it’s essential that any decision be grounded in a comprehensive, transparent, and educationally-focused framework, rather than a narrow set of metrics (such as facilities alone). 

The board asked for a consolidation discussion but ended up with a facilities-only closure proposal. Three schools were selected based on building condition, and the board voted to limit review to those schools, citing concern that a broader review would “confuse” the public. Meanwhile, schools with worse facility needs were excluded based on assumed bond funding that isn’t legally assigned. Families at the three schools were then told closure is being considered, even though there’s been no full study of student impact or non-closure options.

Location: Seawell is a neighborhood school uniquely positioned next to Smith Middle and Chapel Hill High. These co-located schools have a synergy that brings exponential value to students for up to 13 years. There are many examples of this, including: high school volunteers in Kindergarten classes, siblings commuting to school together, sharing of resources, and program (like LEAP) cross-collaboration. 

Transportation: The three-school corridor is a safe route to school that makes walking/biking to school safe for elementary-aged students. Closing Seawell would make a transportation problem out of a high-value asset. 

Planning: Seawell serves an area where the town governments have invested in the development of multi-family middle-income housing with the understanding that incoming families will attend their local school. If that is not the case these families will consider their full educational options (including Charter, Private, and more affordable housing outside the area) if faced with long commute times. Future-focused planning requires anticipating growth. Given that the middle and high school infrastructure will remain in place long term, opting for preservation and potential future renovation of Seawell is a prudent and strategic response to what is likely to be an enduring future need.

Bond Proposal & Facilities Assessment: The facilities assessment conducted in support of the bond was not designed, intended, or methodologically appropriate to serve as a proxy for school closure suitability. Using a capital planning tool as a closure screen fundamentally misrepresents its purpose and limitations.

As enrollment and utilization patterns evolve, the district has an obligation to clearly articulate whether and how current data are being integrated into present-day decision-making. Available facility assessments do not place Seawell among the district’s highest-need facilities, and its inclusion in the current closure discussion reflects selection bias created by the prior exclusion of bond-prioritized schools, rather than an objective comparison of closure impacts.

This underscores the necessity of evaluating any potential school closure through a comprehensive, multi-factor framework that includes educational non-portability, community disruption, equity implications, and the irreversibility of closure decisions, not facility condition alone.

Unique Campus Design: The school’s pod-based layout was designed deliberately with student wellbeing in mind, allowing students to move outdoors between classrooms, specials, and shared spaces. This increasingly rare design in public elementary schools builds movement, regulation, and attention resets directly into the school day. This type of environment aligns with well-established research showing that movement, outdoor access via Carolina North Forest, and experiential learning are strongly associated with improved regulation, engagement, and access to instruction for a wide range of learners.

Campus Learning Resources: In addition, Seawell is the only campus with an established, integrated living-systems environment. Seawell integrates a working garden and daily care of living animals through its Critter Corner, creating a place-based learning environment that embeds responsibility, stewardship, and student well-being into everyday school life. These features are not portable and cannot be recreated through redistricting or program relocation. At a time when families are weighing public education against private or alternative options that emphasize experiential and nature-based learning (e.g. Emerson Waldorf, Carolina Friends School), Seawell offers this within CHCCS.