PLANO, Texas — In Plano, Carpenter Middle School is preparing for its final chapter.

After serving the community for nearly 47 years, the school— one of four campuses closed by Plano ISD last year due to declining enrollment —is now surrounded by fencing as demolition is set to begin.

To many, this will always be Carpenter Middle.

“I drive once a day at least and check up on it,” said one local resident and former student.

Ged Usher, a longtime neighbor, added, “Once it's gone, it's probably not gonna come back again.” Carpenter was built during the late 1970s when the city's population was just starting to surge.

"We did not take the decision-making lightly. It was the hardest thing that we've ever done,” Superintendent Dr. Theresa Williams told WFAA last week about the decision to

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