Johnson Elementary School in Natick to Shut Down by the Conclusion of the Academic Year

The upcoming school year, 2023-2024, marks the final chapter for Johnson Elementary School in Natick, which has been serving the community for 75 years. Natick Superintendent Bella Wong recently made the announcement that this academic year will be the last in which the town utilizes Johnson Elementary School.

In Natick, Massachusetts, Johnson Elementary School has played a unique and significant role in the community over the past 75 years. However, after the conclusion of this school year, the doors of Johnson Elementary will remain closed to neighborhood children.

Recently, Natick Superintendent Bella Wong announced that the current school year would mark the last time the town utilizes Johnson Elementary School.

While not unexpected, the announcement that Johnson Elementary School in Natick, Massachusetts, will close at the end of this school year confirms the decision that was made in 2021.

Wong's explanation for the decision was as follows:

"Last week I met with current Johnson families to let them know that this will be the last year for the Johnson Elementary School. There are currently two grade 4 and one grade 2/3 sections in the school. This means there was only one 3/4 section remaining for next year's school projection.

I met with Principal Turner and the faculty several times this past summer to discuss options for the next school year based on this projection. It is clear, due to the special commitment of the staff to the Johnson students, school and community, that the needs of the current students are being extremely well met. However, we all agreed no matter how dedicated and talented the staff is, it was not best to foresee for students to operate a school with one section."

The anniversary celebration will be a bittersweet event for the Natick community, but it will also be an opportunity to reflect on the many contributions that Johnson Elementary School has made to the community over the years.

"This should be a truly special celebration for many reasons," Wong said.

The School Committee voted in 2021 to close Johnson Elementary School by June 2025.

The district estimated that Johnson Elementary School would need at least $3.3 million in renovations from 2021 to 2026, with most of the money needed for Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) upgrades. Officials decided that this money would be better spent upgrading other district facilities, such as Memorial Elementary.