Hamilton families protest idea of school closing

SOUTH BEND — More than a couple dozen parents protested in front of Hamilton Traditional School this morning, with their children gathered around them, chanting "save our school." One of their many signs read: "SBCSC Board: We’re not going down without a fight!" They were protesting the idea of closing Hamilton school to make room for Bendix School. Hamilton’s students would be moved to Monroe Primary Center, which will have room for more than 600 students this fall when Monroe’s renovation is complete. And Monroe would be converted to a traditional school, a format that these Hamilton parents say they really love. These are among other ideas that the South Bend Community School Corp.’s administration has offered to meet the necessary $8.2 million in budget cuts. A vote isn’t expected until the end of the month. "We don’t even want it to be an idea," said parent William Horton, part of a group that already has created a Facebook site to save the school. Parents spoke of Hamilton as being good for the special needs of their children and that is producing good ISTEP scores. "My biggest problem here is that we have something that’s working," said Lori Camp, with a daughter in kindergarten, where she says parents are highly involved in putting on special events and helping in the classroom. The traditional format requires at least three hours of volunteerism at the school, but she says parents often put in 10 to 15 hours. At their meeting Monday, some board members said they were open to the Hamilton move, though they acknowledged it would be tough for families at such a successful school. Bendix School, an alternative high school that is overcrowded, could move into the Hamilton building, Superintendent James Kapsa suggested. The families gathered at 7:30 a.m. and split up as rain began to fall at 7:55 a.m. — just in time for the children to go in and begin their school day.