The Bowling Green School Board voted unanimously Monday night to close L.C. Curry Elementary School at the end of this school year. The decision will move along the school districts proposal to build an elementary school that would house the student populations of L.C. Curry and Parker-Bennett elementary schools. The board also unanimously approved a contract with Ross Tarrant Architects for the construction project. Ross Tarrant Architects, based in Lexington, designed the new Bowling Green Junior High and rebuilt Bowling Green High School after a hail storm damaged it in 1998.The district decided in 1995 or 1996 that it would eventually drop the number of elementary schools from six to four, with two schools on the west side of town and two on the east. According to the plan, the new school would be built on the Parker-Bennett site. Parker-Bennett Elementary would be razed this summer, but the new school would retain that name. Prior to the boards decision to close L.C. Curry, several members of the community addressed the board. Mike Cobb, a former principal of L.C. Curry Elementary School, said he is worried about losing the name L.C. Curry. John Settle, superintendent of Bowling Green Independent Schools, said last week that he will try to incorporate the name into the plan, possibly naming the new schools cafeteria, gymnasium or campus after Curry, who was an early superintendent in the district. I dont think its going to be acceptable to the community not to have the Curry name on the new building, Cobb said. Thats part of our heritage here. Teresa Ann Page, who is the mother of a pupil at L.C. Curry Elementary, brought up several points to the board. She said she was asked to do so by other parents who could not make it to the meeting. The questions included concerns about teachers and staff at L.C. Curry Elementary, how Curry pupils would adjust to the changes and how the community would react to the closing of the school. While L.C. Curry Elementarys principal and guidance counselors will be losing their jobs, Settle ensured the crowd that he believed the same number of teachers would be needed, as there will still be the same number of pupils. Rebecca Duncan, principal of L.C. Curry Elementary, also made a statement that she was grateful for the opportunity to have served as principal. Duncan, who will likely be taking a position as a teacher in the district, said she believes building the new school is a step in the right direction, but that she would like the board to take a close look at the racial make-ups of the city schools. It is likely that at Aprils board meeting, the board will vote on a redistricting plan for next school year. In the plan, pupils from Parker-Bennett Elementary will be moved into the L.C. Curry Elementary building, which will then be called Parker-Bennett Elementary School. About 75 to 80 pupils from L.C. Curry Elementary will go to Dishman-McGinnis Elementary School to make room for the children who will be coming to the old L.C. Curry building from Parker-Bennett Elementary. In turn, about 75 pupils from Dishman-McGinnis Elementary will go to other elementary schools. Most of them will go to T.C. Cherry Elementary School. Several factors have contributed to moving forward with the new school. Until two years ago, the economy was booming. This gave the district many years of financial growth. The sale of the old Bowling Green Junior High School last year brought $800,000. The district is also saving money on heating and cooling costs since selling the old, three-story building. The new junior high is much more energy efficient, which also saves the district money. Low-interest rates, eager-to-work contractors and declining student populations at L.C. Curry and Parker-Bennett also contributed to the decision. I feel like its a win-win situation, board member Michael Bishop said. AthleticsIn other business, the board approved a contract for architectural services for the addition to Bowling Green High Schools baseball/softball locker room. That project will also be handled by Ross Tarrant Architects. The board approved a contract with Scott, Murphy and Daniel for the construction of a new storage building on the Eleventh Street Alternative School site. ImprovementsThe board approved the processing of BG-1 processing application forms for the Kentucky Department of Education for renovations to several schools, including:Office renovations at Bowling Green High and Dishman-McGinnis Elementary;Painting at T.C. Cherry Elementary, Bowling Green High and the Eleventh Street Alternative School;Adding and/or replacing carpet at T.C. Cherry Elementary, Potter-Gray Elementary and Bowling Green High.