GRANVILLE – It was quite the emotional day for the community of Granville on Friday morning. Residents, parents, teachers, and students, and town officials all had to say their last goodbyes to the Granville Village School as Friday was the last day that the building would ever be used as a school. Starting in September students will relocate to either Powder Mill School or Woodland School on the Southwick schools campus, unless families choose to do school choice and select another school system.
Since the school first opened in 1933, it carries a long-standing tradition of many families in Granville who are a part of multiple generations of attending the school.
Jess Shanti, who is a former student at the school and taught there for 13 years, her dad and grandfather were also students there.
The tradition is what holds the community together.
“You can leave Granville but Granville never leaves you. The whole community is sort of where everyone knows everyone’s children,” said Shanti. “Everyone is a familiar face.”
Shanti went on to describe the atmosphere outside of the school after the bell had rung on Friday.
“The scene at the end of the day was tough,” said Shanti. “It really almost is like a death.”
Shanti then added that parents, teachers, and students all gathered outside the school and stood there and talked like it was their own community event.
Students and teachers pose for a photo outside the front of Granville Village School. (Photo from Jess Ripley)
Jess Ripley, who has two daughters that were at the Granville Village School this year, said Friday that the news of the school closing has been tough to deal with.
“A lot of teary eyes,” said Ripley. “I feel that we’ve been completely lied to.”
Ripley is one of the families in Granville who has decided to go the school choice route. Her daughter Lilie will be going to the Gateway Regional School District and her other daughter Kate will attend Chester Elementary School.
Granville town officials were also vocal about the last day at the school.
“This is a very sad and emotional day for the town of Granville,” said Select Board member David Ripley. “Unfortunately the administration and school committee have done nothing to make this closure easy, this entire process from start to finish has been very poorly done.”
While Superintendent Willard stated that she said no Granville teachers or the principal would be able to comment, Willard addressed the situation.
“This is a very emotional day for Granville,” said Willard. “That’s why we did want to start the transitions as soon as possible in late February, today is a continuation of that process.”
On February 8, the school committee took a majority vote and it resulted in a 5-2 vote in favor of closing the Granville Village School.
