ALBANY PARK — With Marshall Middle School's enrollment at zero, Chicago Public Schools plans to officially declare the school closed at the Board of Education's February meeting, "following a community engagement period," the district announced Thursday.
As recently as 2013, Marshall's student body stood at 431, a number that had plummeted to 56 by the 2015-16 school year, according to CPS.
In August, Roosevelt High School announced plans to accept Marshall's seventh- and eighth-graders, creating Roosevelt Middle School.
All of Marshall's teachers moved to Roosevelt, 3436 W. Wilson Ave., where a first-floor wing of classrooms was set aside for the middle schoolers.
"As a result of families transitioning to Roosevelt from Marshall, there were no students enrolled at Marshall Middle as of Nov. 1, 2016," CPS said in a statement.
CPS was not able to immediately provide information on how many of Marshall's students enrolled at Roosevelt and how many went elsewhere.
Marshall, 3900 N. Lawndale Ave., had formerly enrolled seventh- and eighth-graders from four neighborhood elementary schools: Patrick Henry, Haugan, Falconer and Barry.
Following a decision in 2013 to co-locate a new Disney II Magnet High School with Marshall, at the latter's campus, only Henry and Haugan students remained at Marshall.
As Disney II gradually occupied more and more of the campus, Henry and Haugan families increasingly opted to send their children to nearby Aspira Haugan charter school or academic centers, according to Juan Gutierrez, principal at Patrick Henry and Marshall administrator.
Disney II will continue to occupy the Lawndale building.
CPS will host community meetings related to various school actions, including the Marshall closure, 6-7:30 p.m., Jan. 12 and Jan. 17, at Wells Community High School, 936 W. Ashland Ave.
A public hearing specifically related to Marshall is scheduled for 6-7 p.m., Jan. 30, 42 W. Madison St.
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