Bay County School Superintendent James McCalister has finally announced which campuses are on the chopping block to be closed or re-purposed and, as you can imagine, the list caused some heartburn for those faculty members, students and parents who will be affected.

McCalister's suggesting moving the Margaret K. Lewis School into Millville Elementary and sending the approximately 280 Millville students to other nearby elementary schools. The estimated saving would be $765,000.

"Margaret K. Lewis badly needed to be expanded and renovated to some degree and it was difficult to do, so I think in this case they're accomplishing two worthy objectives in that proposal, and I endorse it," said Doug Merkle, a Bay County resident.

McCalister is also suggesting the board close A.D. Harris High School for at-risk students and send them to the high school program at Haney Vocational Center. Approximately 220 students will be affected and it will save the district an estimated $1,101,000.

"A.D. Harris is a school that should be saved because they are unique in what they do for that population. I'm telling you now, my daughter would have been a drop-out and my heart’s for A.D. Harris," said a former A.D. Harris parent.

"If it hadn't been for that one of my sons wouldn't have graduated, and I know that. He would have been a drop-out. So, it has helped my situation with my family. I'm saying this to let you know that A.D. Harris is a great school, but the legislators have put us in a spot that we have something we have to overcome," said Johnny Brock, a school board member.

He's suggesting the school board cancel its contract with the company that operates Emerald Bay Academy for approximately 300 students with discipline problems, at an estimated savings of $2,490,000.

Board members Jon McFatter and Johnny Brock asked McCalister if he could re-negotiate the contract for savings instead of closing because of the important job the school does for students.

"The teachers will sit there with you one on one and help the students. Any problem that the students had, they would try to solve the problem right then and there. That school has helped change my life around. Now I have a scholarship and I'm going to college. I would not have been there if it was not for Emerald Bay Academy. Really," said Tracy Masters, a former Emerald Bay Academy student.

The school district is trying to cut $16.4 million out of the upcoming school budget. The total savings to the district would be an estimated $4,356,000.

McCalister will present this list at the next scheduled board meeting this Wednesday, June 11th for the board members to vote on.