Beginning next school year, the 70-year legacy of the Gault Gazelles will come to a halt.
The McIlvaigh Totems will be a thing of the past.
There will be no new students enrolling at the schools that are closing down this summer. The future stops now for the two schools that have educated thousands of East Side Tacoma students since 1929 and 1963, respectively.
In September, the approximately 800 students will consolidate into one new school near the site of the current McIlvaigh building and move ahead as the First Creek Eagles.
But before students and staff move into their new digs and assume a new identity as a school, they will revel in their storied school history one last time.
On May 29, Gault Middle School will open its doors to past and present students and staff for an evening to honor the building that furthered so many educational careers and is home to so many memories.
Rhonda Tabron is organizing the reception at Gault. She has taught at the school for 18 years and both of her sons attended Gault as well. She noted that many people came out to the school when they first heard it was closing.
“We hope this will bring closure to the fact that there will not be another Gault,” Tabron said.
Members of the Gault community, including past school leaders and alumni, will have the opportunity to tour the building from 5 to 8 p.m. A slideshow reaching back as far as 1954 will be shown, revealing just how the school and students have changed over the years.
“A lot of things at the school have changed tremendously… a lot of things are really coming back from the past,” Tabron said.
McIlvaigh Middle School will be hosting a similar event June 12 at the 46-year-old school. During the day, the school will be open to students, parents and community members to tour the building and catch glimpses of McIlvaigh nostalgia.
That evening, a dinner and entertainment will be offered for school alumni from 6-8:30 p.m.
“This is the last of what is known as McIlvaigh,” said Principal Kathy Boyd. “This is our time to say goodbye. We’re inviting as many alumni as possible to come by and celebrate with us as we close this school.”
Boyd said RSVPs are needed by June 3 to attend the alumni dinner.
McIlvaigh is located at 1801 E. 56th St. and can be reached by calling (253) 571-2080.
Gault is located at 1115 E. Division Lane and can be reached by calling (253) 571-1405.
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