Neubruecke Elementary closing after school year

[unhappycamper]

Neubruecke Elementary closing after school year
By John Vandiver, Stars and Stripes
European edition, Thursday, January 17, 2008

BAUMHOLDER, Germany — Less than two months after stating there was no immediate plan to shutdown Neubruecke Elementary, DODDS-Europe announced Wednesday that the school will be closing at the end of the school year because of dwindling enrollment.

In a letter to parents, Linda L. Curtis, Department of Defense Dependents Schools-Europe deputy director, stated that students will be assigned next school year to Smith Elementary in Baumholder.

“I recognize a change of this magnitude may initially cause concern regarding future educational arrangements for your children. I assure you the move will benefit students and families by providing the broadest scope of programs available,” Curtis stated.

The transfer to Smith, which is about 13 miles east of Neubruecke, will ensure that all students have access to programs such as art, music, host nation and physical education, according to DODDS-Europe.

Neubruecke Elementary, located in the village of Neubruecke, serves the Baumholder community and children from Strassburg Kaserne in nearby Idar-Oberstein. It currently has an enrollment of about 115 students, but next year the number is projected to drop to just 53, according to Margret Menzies, a DODDS-Europe spokeswoman.


Rest of article at: http://www.stripes.com/article.asp?section=104&article=51703