In this town of Seine-et-Marne, a school could close as early as next year

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Will the Simone Veil school in Magny le Hongre in Seine-et-Marne close? On the town hall side, the hypothesis is on the table, without anything being decided. For parents, however, everything must be done to maintain this small neighborhood school, the only public place in the area.

“It doesn’t work”summarizes Malik Idrici, head of the list of parents of students at the Simone Veil school. Barely had the last meeting with the town hall taken place when parents created a petition on Thursday, November 14. At the time of writing, it has collected 368 signatures.

“We are the most dynamic sector in the city”

“Immense value”, “pillar of the community facilitating stronger ties between neighborhood families”the presence of the school is, according to them, essential in this very residential area.

It is all the more essential, they argue, as the sector continues to develop: 86 housing units are expected by the end of the year and another program, planned for 2027, is in the works, this time with 72 housing units. And other plots are destined to be urbanized.

We are the most dynamic sector in the city. We do not understand the choice of the town hall. The town hall looks on a global scale, but on the sector, it doesn't make sense.

The representative thus mentions the anticipated arrival of “39 school-aged children according to the town hall” with the next delivery in December, the GreenAlley program.

Only three classes left in 2025?

However, the school, which today has four classes, should lose one next yearannounces the town hall. Contacted, the mayor, Véronique Flament explains: “We had already expressed our concerns regarding the workforce. The 39 was an estimate based on the latest deliveries.”

Or, ces estimations rose far too high, she continues.

Of the first 40 homes delivered, the Simone Veil school welcomed three children. There are 40 left, but I don't expect many more. We should have been fixed because the program was supposed to be delivered this summer, but it was delayed.

There would therefore not be sufficient renewal to compensate for the departure of CM2. “They currently represent a third of the school,” specifies the mayor, who specifies that the teaching team is not in favor of maintaining the school with only three classes. “That doesn’t allow for sufficient dynamism within the team, there are only double levels… it’s not ideal,” she adds.

Numbers in free fall

“The real estate prices in Magny, the difficulty in obtaining loans, mean that we mainly have families with older children,” adds Véronique Flament. If there are still other programs planned in the sector for the future, the decline in birth rate doesn't make her more optimistic.

You have to realize this. Since 2016 we have had a drop of 4 to 5% in staff on average each year. Last year it was 9%. Over 10 years, we have lost 38% of our workforce!

Of the 54 rooms in the city's four schools, only 35 are currently occupied. “It’s logical,” continues the mayor. We had a very strong peak in development. Then the parents stayed, the children continued their education and our schools became empty, it’s mechanical.”

An almost new school

What seems surprising is that the town hall finds itself considering most recent school closurebuilt in 2015. “At the time, it was necessary, but it was always thought of as ephemeral and built to be convertible,” assures Véronique Flament. Why still close this one rather than another? Two more class closures are expected next year. When parents suspect electoral interests, the mayor explains: “It is the smallest and the other schools have many more classes. Even with the planned closures, linked to the departure of CM 2, the Semailles school has 11 classes, Tabarly 7 and therefore 6 next year, Fauvet 13 therefore 12…”.

In the name of stability for current students, in the name of modernity of infrastructure and the proximitythe parents of the students are nevertheless calling for the Simone Veil school to be preserved. “It’s a beautiful school, in a green setting and it’s the last building for which Simone Veil herself gave permission to use her name during her lifetime, for the record,” explains Malik Idrici.

Welcoming kindergarteners?

To revitalize the school, the parents of the students wanted open kindergarten classes. Until then, the little ones attend the Fauvet school. But the option was not retained and would not have had the approval of National Education, explains Véronique Flament.

On the one hand, it requires a lot of adjustments, in the courtyard, in the classes, everything has to be divided in two with a nursery side, an elementary side. On the other hand, the number of students would not be sufficient, explains National Education and creating double levels at this age is not conducive. This notice is public, posted in the report in front of the school.

However, she assures that nothing is stopped. “It’s not an easy subject, but the problem is there. Not looking at it would not be responsible.” She thus invites all parents to a public meeting Thursday November 21, 2024 at 7 p.m. at the town hall to discuss it. But the timing is tight and the point was put on the agenda for the next council, on November 25: “If we have to modify the school map, we must do it before December 1,” specifies Véronique Flament.

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