2 Anchorage schools to remain closed for 2019-2020 year

ANCHORAGE, Alaska (AP) – Two Anchorage public schools will stay closed next year for repair of earthquake damage.

KTVA reports Eagle River Elementary School and Gruening Middle School stay closed for the 2019-2020 academic year.

The decision was made following a review by structural engineers.

Students from both schools were relocated to other buildings in early December because of damage from the magnitude 7.0 earthquake.

Gruening students are at Chugiak High School.

Eagle River Elementary students are split among three schools. Anchorage Schools Superintendent Deena Bishop says their future classroom locations present a more complex problem.

In a letter to parents, Bishop says the district will evaluate the benefits of keeping families together in one school or dividing students by grade levels among elementary schools as is now happening.

Information from: KTVA-TV, http://www.ktva.com