Bladen County Board Votes to Close East Arcadia Elementary School

The Bladen County Board of Education voted Monday to close East Arcadia School between June 2026 and June 2027. The 5-4 vote approved shutting down the small building near Riegelwood, sending kids to Clarkton School of Discovery instead.

Decline in enrollment has forced the closure of the school that started as Rosenwald School for Black students in the late 1920s. Three public hearings happened before Monday's vote where parents pushed to keep the school open. Two hearings were at the elementary campus. One at Clarkton School of Discovery.

The board will hold another meeting to pick the final date for the school's closure. Three members picked June 2026. Two picked June 2027. Neither won enough votes. Clark, who wanted the closure, chose the June 2027 date. It gives more time for families and the district to get ready.

East Arcadia School has 58 kids in kindergarten through fifth grade. Superintendent Dr. Jason Atkinson says that the number will drop to 43 next school year.

“Seeing that the school has been neglected, I think that we owe the students at East Arcadia an apology, because we position other schools to accelerate academically while we’ve deprived them of some of the essentials that other schools have,” board member Anthony Thomas said according to the Border Belt Independent. 

The building needs nearly $2 million in fixes. A new septic system. Windows. Floors. HVAC systems. All broken or outdated. When enrollment falls below 100 students, the state won't pay for administrators. Bladen County Schools has spent $535,000 on salary and benefits for Principal David Wimert since 2018.

Columbus County Schools is putting up a new building in nearby Acme-Delco. Board chairman Mackie Singletary said it opens in October 2027.