The last day of school before the summer for Fairwood Elementary School also marked the building's permanent closure.
To commemorate the school's ending, staff hosted a “Farewell Fairwood” celebration on Thursday.
Teachers, current and former students, parents and volunteers attended the final curtain call. Inside the gym, attendees could eat cake while reading about the school's 100 years-long history.
Columbus City Schools announced in December the school would close, along with three others (Como Elementary School, Duxberry Park Arts Impact Elementary School and the former Everett Middle School, which houses Columbus Gifted Academy) after continual financial strain.
“Hopefully, we'll be able to keep the building or refurbish the building or do something in this space that will be of a benefit to the community. That's our hope,” Fairwood Principal Stacey Harris-MacCarthy said.
Harris-MacCarthy, who has been principal for the last six years, understands the reason for closing the school but is proud of her staff who have created a welcoming environment, like teaching aid Teresa Adjei.
Adjei, 63, attended Fairwood in the late 1960s, and sent two more generations through the school. She shared her memories through “tears of joy.” Thursday marks her 30th year working at the school.
“It’s bittersweet. I mean, knowing that we will not be back here next year is the hard part,” Adjei said.
Fairwood Elementary was built in 1921 by Howard Dwight Smith, who had previously designed the Ohio Stadium. The elementary school marked a response for the education of the growing Black population on the east side of Columbus.
On Thursday, the Columbus Landmarks Foundation, an architectural heritage organization, labeled the historic site as one of its most endangered historical sites.
In the next school year, current Fairwood students will attend Bridgeport, Riverview and Crawford Woods elementary schools.
“On one regard, it can be sad, right? We are closing and that can be sad. On another place though, it could be next steps and what does that mean? Life is always about changes and I never forget that…all of our children throughout the district, everybody must give their very best to help them so they can make their lives and things better for the next generation,” Harris-MacCarthy said.
