Canter Middle School in Kenwood closes for good

CHICAGO (WLS) -- Canter Middle School in Kenwood on Chicago's South Side closed its doors for good with the end of the school year.

Teachers and staff at Canter have until next week to clear out their classrooms and offices, but students started summer break on Thursday.

Chicago Public Schools labeled Canter Middle School as "underutilized." Originally slated to close in 2013, the school had one year reprieve to allow eighth graders to graduate from Canter. The rest of the grades were slowly phased out to Ray and Bret Harte schools.

"School has performed and we have great kids and a great school. It's really tough," Miguel Cedeno, a 12 year veteran of CPS, said. Cedeno taught PE.

"It was good school to me. Personally, I feel as though the staff the teachers were good. I feel as though that they took the time with the students and taught them well," recent Canter grad Troy May said.

Alderman Will Burns, (Ward 4), will assist the city in figuring out what happens to the building.

"We're going to move the seventh and eighth graders from Kenwood Academy and their academic center to the Canter building so that we still have a high quality middle school in Hyde Park and the building won't stay empty, and we'll create more space in Kenwood Academy for kids who want to go there," Burns said.

He plans a town hall meeting Monday night for public discussion.