Students return to school as Evanston-Skokie School District 65.to consider more closings

SKOKIE, Ill. (WLS) -- It's back to school Monday morning for students and staff in Evanston-Skokie School District 65.

There was a mix of first day jitters and a little sadness at Dr. Bessie Rhodes School of Global Studies Monday morning. The beloved school will close next June.

ABC7 Chicago is now streaming 24/7. Click here to watch

For months Evanston-Skokie School District 65 has been considering potentially closing more schools.

"It's the first day of the last year and I want to make the most of it this year and spend time with my friends," Sonia Pompilus, 5th grade student, said.

"I am really emotional because this was supposed to be her same group of friends until the 8th grade, but they decided to shut down the school," parent Beatriz Cabrera said. "We fought it, we did marches, we showed up to the meetings,"

Monday was filled with bittersweet moments for parents, students and staff at Dr. Bessie Rhodes School of Global.

The building will close its doors by the end of the school year as Evanston-Skokie School District 65 has been dealing with budget woes and declining enrollment.

"When the school is going to be closing, I would have to go to another school for 8th grade," 7th grade student Peter Vazquez said. "We are just kind of sad."

This is tough for mother Juana Vazquez, who's already balancing her children attending different schools across the district.

"As a parent it is heartbreaking," she said. "I have four and they are going to different schools...like myself driving from one end of Evanston to the other end of Evanston to drop off multiple kids, I feel for those parents."

Dr. Bessie Rhodes School of Global Studies Charlise Berkel said this as parents feel uneasy of what's next for their children.

"As a community we are all in this together we have gone through a lot of unknowns in the last year and a half, but I think the staff is committed to the families and to the students. We will navigate this together," she said.

Also new this year, the district is enforcing a cellphone ban.

"We want to maximize the focus in the classroom so there is not a lot of distraction so we are pretty much having the children put their cellphones in their locker turned off so that it is ready in the afternoon for them to communicate with their parents when they go to and from school," Berkel said.

According to the policy, phones will have to be powered off and left in a locker or in a designated classroom storage unit.

Phones will be permitted for students who have a documented medical need or as part of an IEP or 504 plan for special education accommodations.

District leaders stress that no other official decisions have been made about school closures.

But next month, during a school board meeting, the district will be weighing out their options.