GRAND JUNCTION, Colo. (KREX) — At Tuesday night's board meeting, District 51's school board voted unanimously to close the Fruita 8/9 school at the end of the spring semester and move Fruita Middle School's staff - and its sixth, seventh and eighth-grade students - into the 8/9 building.
This resolution will see that the district meets its long-awaited goal of reworking the grade distribution of Fruita schools to traditional middle and high school configurations.
Members of the Fruita 8/9 staff as well as Mesa Valley Education Association (MVEA) members were in attendance, with representatives from each group offering public comment to the board regarding Fruita 8/9 and its 61 affected staff members.
"We do respectfully request... that you consider amending your resolution so you can more carefully examine the options for consolidating the staff," one speaker said.
Ultimately, the resolution to close Fruita 8/9 passed, which means current school staff will have to reapply for jobs within the district for next school year.