Thursday Was Last Day Of Classes For Three Tulsa Schools, Ever

Thursday was the last day of school for three Tulsa schools, ever.

Remington, Porter and Park are closing, over the objections of parents discouraged by what's happened to school budgets.

A few Park students left early on the last day, but not many slipped by without a hug from school Counselor Gwen Climpson. She hugged as many as she could, and was still at it when the bell rang on the last day for Park.

On a day when most school celebrate the start of summer, several people at Park were crying.

There are losing a small neighborhood school that doesn't work with budgets so focused on efficiency.

"It's just so darn sad, it feels like the heart of the community is gone," said Tracy Holcomb, Park Parent.

Tracy Holcomb has a second grader here.

She said, "He loves this school, and he gets up wanting to go to school every day, and we live here, four blocks, my whole family has been to this school."

Most of the she students leaving Park today will start at Clinton in the fall. The rising 6th graders will move to the Webster High School campus.

Park and two other buildings will close, saving TPS just short of a million dollars a year. Many parents are skeptical.

"The school should stay open. The lottery is here - where's the money going?" said Kima Kane, Park Parent.

It was up to the school safety patrol, to take one of the last official steps at Park. They marched out, lined up, and saluted.

Then they carefully lowered both the Oklahoma and U.S. flags, for the last time, and took them inside for storage.

They won't be needed at a school that's closing down. 

The school they're going to will undergo a big remodel this summer. The schools that closing will be locked up, and kept up by district, until they decide if they have any use for them.