Ephesus Junior Academy closed in 2010.WILMINGTON, NC (WECT) – Since 2010, Ephesus Junior Academy, one of the oldest and only private African-American private schools has been closed.
School officials said low enrollment, which led to low funds, made it impossible to keep the school open. It cost about $65,000 per year to operate the school.
However, some of the alumni believe they're taking the rights steps to reopen in the fall.
Former Wilmington City Council Member Ronald Sparks, an alum of Ephesus, says they've raised enough money to reopen the school in the fall and keep it open for at least a year.
He adds that they're in the process of hiring a teacher and making sure they meet the requirements for accreditation.
Despite the enrollment being low in the past, Sparks believes once the school opens back up, it will remain open.
Sparks says he and others in the community have been talking with state lawmakers about a bill that's designed to help at-risk children. They want to expand that bill to also help private schools.
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