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South Bend School Board votes against Coquillard CTE hub plan

The South Bend Community School Corporation Board met for over four hours Monday night, deciding the future of Coquillard Elementary School.
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The South Bend Community School Corporation Board met for over four hours Monday night, deciding the future of Coquillard Elementary School.

The South Bend Community School Corporation Board voted 4-3 Tuesday night against a proposal to turn Coquillard Elementary School into a Career and Technical Education (CTE) Hub. The decision followed a heated, four-hour meeting, with board members voicing strong opinions on the plan.

Board member Jeanette McCullough raised concerns about the potential disruption to Coquillard students, who were already displaced once when the school moved from Warren Primary Center. McCullough argued that moving them again would be unfair to both students and their families.

“These students at Coquillard have been disrupted from the move from Warren,” McCullough said. “And we’re trying to disrupt them again by moving them to Dickinson.”

The plan to convert Coquillard into a CTE Hub aimed to provide specialized training programs, but it would have required relocating the current Coquillard students to Dickinson Fine Arts Academy.

Trustee Mark Costello recommended delaying the vote until next month when the new board members take office, calling for further discussion and a reevaluation of the plan.

“The best direction for us to go is to table this thing tonight, and to start a reevaluation of where this thing should go,” Costello said.

Following the vote, Trustee Leslie Ann Wesley expressed concerns about Dickinson Fine Arts Academy, which she fears will remain underutilized due to the decision.

“This is all about adults. And who loses out today? The children. Not once have I heard you say anything about Dickinson,” Wesley said.

With the vote behind them, Coquillard Elementary will remain open for the time being, and the future of the district’s CTE programs remains uncertain.

Mike Murrell joined the WVPE family in August of 2024. Mike is beginning his second career in journalism and broadcasting, since retiring from the Army after 20 years of service. Mike is originally from Dayton, Ohio, but calls Elkhart his home.