October 15, 2026 4:10 a.m. 

The Roseburg School Board heard from families wanting Fir Grove Elementary School to stay open, during their meeting on Wednesday night.

Two weeks ago, Superintendent Jared Cordon presented a recommendation that the 66-year-old school close at the end of this school year, as part of an effort to consolidate facilities due to declining enrollment in the district. Cordon’s 41 page Aligning to Thrive document, posted on the district’s website, said that Fir Grove students would be dispersed to attend Fullerton IV, Hucrest, or Eastwood elementary schools.

Ten speakers were given three minutes to address the board regarding the potential closure. Parents and district employees who spoke mentioned a variety of factors for reasons they believe the school should stay open. Parent Holly Brooks said a closure would bring “human consequences” she believed should be considered alongside financial ones. Brooks told the board that, “children are not numbers on a spreadsheet” and said Fir Grove’s smaller class sizes are a positive.

Heather Kehoe, a district substitute teacher who has had kids at Fir Grove previously, said the campus provides a “safe space”. Kehoe expressed concern that the two special education programs housed at the school – the Complex Needs Classroom, and the Profound Developmental Learning Center – are set up to provide emergency access to students and could not be easily placed elsewhere. Kehoe said Fir Grove’s location near a homeless shelter for mothers and children, provides access for low-income families that could have a barrier if those students were sent to a school farther away.

While the school board listened, no decision on the future of Fir Grove has been scheduled for a vote. Superintendent Cordon has said he hopes that decision will come before the end of this calendar year.