Rochester City School District Superintendent Carmine Peluso outlined a reconfiguration plan for the district on Tuesday. This includes school closures, moves and grade rearrangements. 

The district says decreasing enrollment is the main driver in the decisions. 

“Our District has experienced a continuous decline in enrollment for more than a decade and must make the necessary adjustments to create better learning and extracurricular opportunities in modernized facilities with highly qualified staff and programming to meet the diverse interests of our students,” Peluso said in a statement.

Six elementary schools, including three on the city of Rochester's south side, three middle schools and two high schools are all recommended for closure.

Recommended school closures:

Elementary schools

  • Clara Barton School No. 2
  • Dr. Walter Cooper Academy School No. 10
  • Adlai E. Stevenson School No. 29 
  • Andrew J. Townson School No. 39
  • RISE Community School No. 106 
  • Wilson Foundation Academy

Middle schools 

  • Dr. Alice Holloway Young School of Excellence
  • Franklin Lower School
  • Monroe Lower School

High schools

  • Franklin Upper School
  • Northeast College Preparatory High School

Recommended building closures:

  • School No. 20** 
  • School No. 29**
  • School No. 39*
  • School No. 44** 
  • School No. 106*

*Buildings would remain in RCSD inventory

**Buildings would be returned to the City of Rochester

Another recommended change has the student bodies of the schools changing.

This change has pre-k through sixth graders placed in elementary schools, seventh and eighth graders in middle schools, with high school comprised of students in grades nine through 12.

Officials say this allows the district to have high-quality instruction and facilities for all of their students. 

Recommended school reconfigurations:

Elementary schools (Citywide: Pre-k to sixth grade)

  • Nathaniel Hawthorne School No. 25 would move to 190 Reynolds Street (Current site of School No. 2)
  • Montessori Academy School No. 53 would move to Walter Cooper Campus 

Middle schools (7-8)

  • Charlotte Campus*
  • Douglass Campus 
  • East Lower School
  • Freddie Thomas Campus* 
  • Jefferson Campus* (RIA program remains)
  • Wilson Foundation Academy Campus* 

*Denotes a new middle school

High school (9-12)

  • New high school at the Franklin Campus 
  • Rochester Early College International High School moves to Dr. Alice Holloway-Young Campus 

The district says the Board of Education will vote on the reconfiguration plan in October. If approved, they are set to go into place for the 2024-25 year.

More information on the recommendations can be found on the district’s website.

A slideshow of the superintendent's proposal can be viewed below:

RCSD Reconfiguration Plan Presentation 9.12.23 Final by Adam Penale on Scribd