On Monday inside the multipurpose room at Manchester Elementary School, Kendra Dale approached the podium quietly, a sheet of paper in hand.
The kindergarten instructional assistant turned to face board members seated at the front of the room. Across her chest, her message was already written in bold letters: “Our students are not numbers—they each have a name.”
Her voice was steady as she described the connection she has built with her students and the role the school plays in their daily lives.
“My students are my kids,” Dale said. “This school is a sanctuary for them.”
She continued by explaining how disruptive a closure could be for young children who rely on routine and familiarity. “The closure will completely shake up everything they know—the sense of comfort they’ve developed,” she said.
Around her, rows of parents, educators, and community members listened closely, some leaning forward in their seats, others holding papers in their laps. They were at the elementary school in Spring Lake for a public hearing by the Cumberland County Board of Education, which voted April 2 to start the closure process for Manchester and J.W. Coon elementary schools.
As the hearing continued and more speakers came forward, signs began to rise above the crowd—including one that read: “You must account for growth in Spring Lake.”
One by one, a mayor, a commissioner, school staff, and parents stepped to the microphone—each raising the same question: What happens when a school that anchors a community is no longer there?
Under the district’s proposal, Manchester Elementary would close before the 2026–27 school year, with students reassigned to W.T. Brown and Ponderosa elementary schools.
What Data Points Show
District data shows that the school, built in 1967, currently enrolls 295 students—about 72% of its 407-student capacity. The school has a facility condition index score of 49.25, a district metric used to assess building condition. Any score below 60 is considered “unsatisfactory” and indicates significant repair needs.
The school is categorized as “unsatisfactory” and needs nearly $6 million in estimated repair costs.
District leaders have also noted the school costs more than $2.5 million annually to operate—about $8,616 per student—as part of the rationale for consolidation.
According to the district’s school consolidation and redistricting study, that figure is comparable to schools like Ponderosa Elementary, which costs about $9,245 per student, but remains lower than others under consideration, including J.W. Coon Elementary at more than $15,700 per student.
The study also places the average elementary cost at about $9,190 per student, situating Manchester slightly below the districtwide average.
Speakers throughout the hearing argued those numbers fail to capture the impact of closing the school.
Dale emphasized the emotional toll the transition could take on students, particularly those at critical points in their education.
“Our rising fifth graders—who may have been here since kindergarten—now being told you have to spend your last year of elementary school in a brand-new setting is extremely disheartening,” she said.
‘Families Are Investing Here’
If Spring Lake is growing, residents asked, why is one of its schools on the chopping block?
Spring Lake, a town of about 11,500 residents in Cumberland County just north of Fayetteville, has seen recent housing development that residents say signals growth rather than decline.
Local leaders have pointed to projects such as new residential development along North Main Street as evidence the town is expanding, not shrinking.
Spring Lake Commissioner Jackie Jackson urged the board to consider those realities when making its decision, arguing that the issue extends beyond enrollment projections and budget considerations.
“We are seeing multiple housing developments being built, new homes going up and new families choosing to move into our area,” Jackson said. “Growth is happening. Families are investing here.”
She warned that closing a school in a growing community could have long-term consequences.
“This is not just an education issue,” Jackson said. “This is a community stability issue.”
Former Spring Lake Commissioner Robyn Chadwick reinforced that argument, urging the board to consider reinvestment instead of closure.
Chadwick said the town’s trajectory does not align with the proposal to close a neighborhood school.
“We are not a town in decline but growth,” Chadwick said. “Closing the only elementary school that truly serves the heart of Spring Lake is not just shortsighted—it is harmful and completely out of step with the direction this community is moving.”
She said if facility conditions are the concern, the solution should focus on investment rather than elimination.
“If it is a safety concern, then build us a new school,” Chadwick said. “If capacity is the concern, then plan for the growth that is already happening.”
Closing Manchester Elementary would leave Spring Lake with one elementary school—W.T. Brown Elementary.
For some residents, that possibility raised concerns about access, overcrowding, and the long-term direction of the community. As the hearing continued, the tone shifted from concern to frustration.
Spring Lake Mayor Kia Anthony directly challenged the board’s approach, arguing the decision contradicts the town’s recent progress.
Anthony said local leaders have worked for years to strengthen the community and attract new residents.
“You are making decisions that are uneducated,” Anthony said. “You know how important schools are to people when they’re deciding where to live, and yet you take away our elementary school.”
She framed the proposal as a step backward for one of the county’s largest municipalities.
“You’re asking to represent our county, but you are moving the third-largest municipality backward,” Anthony said.
‘Your Vote Has Consequences’
Speakers also raised concerns about how students would adjust if reassigned, including students with disabilities who rely on routine and familiar environments.
Matthew Brayton, a cafeteria assistant at Manchester, questioned how the transition would affect those students and their families.
Brayton raised concerns about students with disabilities and how they would navigate unfamiliar settings.
“What kind of serious impacts will it have on them—especially those who are disabled?” Brayton asked.“What is that going to be for those who don’t thrive in unfamiliar environments?”
Before addressing the proposed closure, Lynette Smith—Manchester’s family ambassador and a retired Army veteran—explained that frequent relocation is a reality for many families in the area.
Smith said her own experience in the military helped her understand how constant change can affect children and families.
“I understand what it’s like for families to move often and for children to have to adjust over and over again,” Smith said.
She then connected that reality to the district’s proposal, arguing the numbers do not fully reflect the disruption families experience when schools are closed and students are reassigned.
“Those numbers do not show what happens to the children who are moved, to the families who are disrupted, and to the communities that are broken apart,” she said.
She said Manchester provides a sense of consistency that many families rely on—especially those navigating frequent transitions.
Smith emphasized that the school serves as more than a place of instruction, but as a central part of the community.
“Once a school like Manchester is gone—you don’t just lose a building—you lose the heart of the community,” Smith said.
Kevin Ricks—president of the Alpha Alpha Gamma Sigma chapter of Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity Inc. in Spring Lake, which mentors local youth—said the turnout itself reflected how deeply residents care about the school.
Ricks said the community is unified in its message to the board. “We’re here to advocate for our kids, our teachers and our community,” he said.
“For those that are leaning toward closing Manchester Elementary, your vote has consequences,” Ricks said.
A second public hearing is scheduled for Wednesday at J.W. Coon Elementary. The Cumberland County Board of Education is expected to vote on the proposed closures May 12.
