FULTON COUNTY, GA — As students across Fulton County celebrate the last day of school, it marks a bittersweet farewell for two elementary campuses that are closing their doors for good.

Parklane Elementary School in East Point and Spalding Drive Elementary School in Sandy Springs are both shutting down permanently after today’s classes, following a controversial decision by the Fulton County School Board in February.

Despite months of pushback from families and community leaders, the board cited declining enrollment and the cost of maintaining aging buildings as key reasons for the closures.

“This will impact the entire county, so I want to make sure we can support all of our students by giving them the very best educational opportunities and facilities across the board,” said Board Member Lillie Pozatek during the February vote.

Parents at Spalding Drive Elementary even offered to raise $10 million to convert the school into a charter, but the board opted instead to repurpose the campus as a teaching museum and archives facility.

For many families, the final day is an emotional one. Stephen Bell, a Spalding Drive parent, said his children are having a hard time saying goodbye.

“Our oldest has been particularly sad, she’s cried a few times because she truly understands how much she has enjoyed the school and what it has done for her,” Bell said.

As students prepare to head to new schools in the fall, today’s closures mark the end of an era and a major transition for two tight-knit school communities.

WSB’s Graham Carroll contributed to this story