Concord High School is destined to fade into history after a revote last week that affirmed a decision in April to close the school.
In a reconsideration vote last week — forced by a petition — residents voted to close the school 333-295, Concord School Principal Julie Donahue said Monday. In April, the vote was 285-209.
Over the past two decades, there have been as many as 10 votes to close the town’s high school, but April was the first time that a majority voted in the affirmative, according to former Essex-Caledonia Supervisory Union Superintendent Brian Rayburn, who just left for a new position out of state.
Donahue said now that the vote to reconsider has been defeated, “It cannot be challenged, as far as I know.”
Two weeks ago, the final graduation at Concord High School was held, with 14 graduates, Donahue said Monday. The high school this year had 65 students total, she said.
The Town of Concord, a small town in the Northeast Kingdom, had had its own high school for nearly a century, going back to 1922, Donahue said.
Donahue said five of the six teachers at the school have found new jobs and one is retiring this year.
Students in grades eight through 11 have been placed in other schools next year, Donahue said.