Monroe charter school announces permanent closure over the weekend

MONROE, N.C. (QUEEN CITY NEWS) — Apprentice Academy of North Carolina announced Saturday that the charter school will be closing its doors permanently.

The decision came after an emergency board meeting at 9 a.m. on August 31, in which a vote resulted in the surrendering of the charter and the closure of the school.

The decision was due to several reasons within the charter, one of which was a decline in enrollment.

The enrollment had dropped to 160 students after the first day of school, which officials say was far below the number needed to sustain operations, making it no longer financially feasible for the school. In an email sent to parents from the principal Barry Ross, it also mentioned that the school was not performing well academically.

The arguably biggest reason for the closure comes after the City of Monroe Fire Marshal informed the school on Friday, August 30th that the Certificate of Occupancy had expired five years ago. The school was closed for safety reasons and an emergency meeting was called for the Board of Directors.

Around 8 p.m. Saturday, an email was sent to staff and parents that the school was closing. Students and staff were notified at the same time that the school was closing, only one week after school started.

The website has the next steps for parents and guardians to take.

Queen City News has reached out to the City of Monroe Fire Marshall and the school for comment.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to Queen City News.