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Tonight, the Beaufort County Board of Education will host a public hearing on the tentative close of S.W. Snowden Elementary School in Aurora. The hearing will begin at 5:30 p.m. at Southside High School (5700 NC Highway 33, Chocowinity).

The board held a community forum on Wednesday, April 17 at the elementary school. Hundreds of Aurora residents and concerned family members of Snowden students attended the forum to learn about the closure and voice their concerns. Researching alternative options to keep Snowden open and transportation were primary concerns. Specifically, alternative sources of funding, how long students are projected to ride on a bus  from Aurora to Chocowinity (an estimated 90 minutes) and where bus stops would be located.

Current Snowden students will be transferred to either Chocowinity Primary School or Chocowinity Middle School if they do not request to be transferred to another school in Beaufort County, request to transfer to Pamlico County or choose to attend either a private or charter school.

On Tuesday, March 25, the Beaufort County Board of Education voted 7-2 to tentatively close S.W. Snowden Elementary.