Cloverdale Middle School celebrates memories as school sets to close after this school year

LITTLE ROCK, Ark. – Many schools are wrapping up their first week of school, but one school in the Little Rock School District has just ended the last first week they will ever have, as the district is building a new state of the art academy for next school year.

The district’s new building is named Marion G Lacey K-8 Academy, they're celebrating the history of the school. This will be the last year for Cloverdale Middle School. The district is building a new state of the art school for next year.

Wanda Ruffins became the principal of the middle school in 2013. She says the school opened its doors in the 1950's and holds a lot of memories for people.

Ruffins says many alumni and retired teachers came back to help with the first week of school. She adds that it’s because of the family environment they have.

“We have this saying at Cloverdale, once a part of the Cloverdale family, always a part of the Cloverdale family,” Ruffins said.

On Friday, many of the Cloverdale Cubs came together to celebrate the end of an era.

Ruffins says after this school year she’s retiring, the school currently has over 600 students with around 90 staff members, and she goes on to say that with the new move although sad for some it could be a good thing.

“Let’s not lose sight of the fact that our students will be gaining opportunities,” Ruffins stated.

8th grader Morgan Crawford says she knows all about a positive change, like after she joined the school’s program Civil Air Patrol where she found out what she wants to do in the future.

“I want to start off after high school go straight to the Air Force and after the Air Force I'm going to go to college and nursing school and be a nurse practitioner,” Crawford said.

Ruffins says there are many people who have cherished memories. Laverne Goldsby who started teaching at the school in the 1980’s and is now retired says she retired for the farewell.

“This is just a part of me, my whole body, my being, my working is Cloverdale,” Goldsby stated.

Former Coach Marcus Davis also came back to the school, he says he has memories that will last a lifetime.

“I've been here for 33 years. I came in 1987 and this gymnasium is named in my honor. I'm just so grateful and thankful to have that be done,” Davis said.

Crawford says although this week has been bittersweet, she is grateful to be surrounded by familiar faces.

“It's very exciting and emotional all at once, but I'm happy I get to spend it with people who have literally seen me grow up and mature,” Crawford said.

from KARK https://ift.tt/AkpaZnX