DANVILLE - The Danville District 118 School Board approved a plan Wednesday to move students from Douglas Elementary School to other schools in the district.n

Douglas at 500 Florida Ave. is scheduled to close at the end of the school year, though the school will hold summer school classes.n

The plan was a recommendation by Assistant Superintendent Nanette Mellen, who said that she tried to assign students to the schools nearest to them, or where transportation would be easier and faster.n

The plan calls for 204 of Douglas' regular education students to move to the following buildings:n

- 18 students will move to Cannon Elementary School, 1202 E. Main St.n

- Seven students from the Liberty and Edison elementary residential districts in north Danville who had petitioned to attend Douglas this year will be moved back to their home schools.n

- 26 students will move to Southwest Elementary School, Catlin-Tilton Road.n

- 153 students will move to East Park Elementary, 930 Colfax Drive.n

Mellen also said that the Children Are Ready Early office at Southwest will be moved to the Administrative Service Center to free up a classroom.n

She also said that depending on funding, there could be two additional classrooms available at other schools in the district with the possible elimination of two CARE classrooms.n

In addition, 42 special education students at Douglas will move to behavioral disorder and cross-categorical classrooms at Southwest, Liberty and Meade Park, 200 S. Kansas Ave.n

The plan was introduced by Mellen as an informational item and will be acted upon at the May 8 meeting of the board.n

Board member David Groves made a motion to act on the plan immediately, so that the board could "move along with the process," but the motion failed for a second.n

Mellen said that she believed parents would be happy with the plan because students would attend schools closest to their homes. n

The Danville District 118 School Board will next meet at 6 p.m. May 8 at the Administrative Service Center, 516 N. Jackson St.n

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