The West Side High School cafeteria is on lockdown for the upcoming summer months, as the school district struggles to keep its finances afloat.
With the school’s finances in tatters, it has decided to shut the school down until August to try and raise funds.
The school district said it has raised $20,000 so far through an Indiegogo campaign.
The district said on Wednesday it expects to make its next budget by the end of August, but is still hoping to raise enough money to reopen.
“I am just in awe of the people who are out there,” said Eastside High School principal David Saylor.
“They are working to make a positive impact on the students and community, and that’s really what we are working towards.”
Saylor said he is still confident that things will work out, but said the district’s financial situation is dire.
“We are still in good shape,” he said.
“We have a budget that we have raised $40,000 and we’re still in the process of meeting the commitments that we made to the district.”
Students are still going to be able to attend school, but Saylor said they will not be allowed to do so on Fridays and Saturdays.
The city has also been in talks with the school board about how to move forward.
Saylor did not provide a timeline for when the school would reopen.
But he said he was hopeful the school could reopen in time for summer break, so that students would have time to get back to school and prepare for the fall term.
