Fort Smith School Board moves forward with plan to close Orr Elementary

The Fort Smith Public Schools Board of Education agreed Monday (Aug. 26) to work toward closing Orr Elementary School at the end of the school year. The space, according to initial discussions, could be converted for use as the district’s alternative high school.

In April, the district’s Long Range Facility Committee presented a plan to right size the district and close four school campuses over the next five years to improve the district’s facility use.

The plan, which would eventually close Belle Point, the Parker Center, the Rogers Center and the old Peabody School that is now the adult education center, was unanimously approved by the school board. Shawn Shaffer, executive director for facilities and operations, said the idea is to “renew and revitalize the district campuses.”

FSPS is the fifth largest school district in the state with 13,750 students. It has 119 buildings under its management, comprising slightly more than 3 million square feet. It has 19 elementary schools, Shaffer said.

At the time the plan was presented it was determined that Orr Elementary School, located at 3609 Phoenix Ave., would be closed and that facility would then be used for another purpose in the district, perhaps as the home of the alternative high school, which is now housed at Belle Point Center.

The recommendation, at that time, for closing Orr Elementary included a phased approach in which the kindergarten through second grade Orr students would be rezoned during the 2025-26 school year and the students in third and fourth grade would be rezoned during the 2026-27 school year, said Dr. Tiffany Bone, assistant superintendent for curriculum and instruction.

Administration explained the plan to those attending the Orr Elementary Open House Aug. 15. Parents and staff were presented with a survey to collect their thoughts on their preference for a one- or two-year approach to closing Orr Elementary. The survey link was sent to all parents, Bone said.

She said 142 people took the survey, which included at least 44% of all the families with children in the school and all of the staff. The results showed that 81% of those surveyed prefer the school be closed at one time at the end of the 2024-25 school year.

“There were several who commented that they didn’t want to split their children between two different schools,” Bone said.

FSPS Superintendent Dr. Terry Morawski said administration has not yet determined where students who would now attend Orr will be moved in the fall 2025.

“That process will be done during the fall with the (attendance study). We have not decided where all may go, But I am confident that we will be able to work that out with existing buildings with existing space,” Morawski said.

Martin Mahan, deputy superintendent, said there will be meetings with parents and options will be presented before a decision is made on what elementary school students will attend. He said a final plan will be given to parents in January, so they have a full semester to make plans.

It will take time once the school is closed to refit and remodel the school for whatever facility use the district decides, Morawski said, noting no final decision has been made on what will be housed in the building.