3 Long Island Schools Closing Due To Budget Deficit, Low Enrollment

HOLTSVILLE, N.Y. (CBSNewYork) -- Long Island's second largest school district is closing three of its 18 schools.

Citing a multi-million dollar budget gap and declining enrollment, the Sachem Central School District decided to close Sequoya Middle School in Holtsville, as well as Tecumseh and Gatelot elementary schools.

"One of my friends is coming to my school, I'm kind of excited, but my elementary school that I went to is closing down so I'm kind of sad about that," said Analise Duruz, 11, who goes to Sagamore Middle School.

Duruz's father, Kip, feels the decision was inevitable.

"If there's less kids obviously they have to put them in other schools," he said.

Wendy Lawrence, whose 11-year-old son is a fifth grader in the district, is disappointed.

"They keep cutting everything -- the buses, the sports, the clubs," Lawrence said. "Sachem's not what it used to be."

Paulette Laviano's son is in the eighth grade at Sequoya, which will be the last class graduating.

"It's really sad, kids who are in sixth and seventh grade I feel sorry for them," she said. "I would like to see my taxes go down now that I'm losing a school because school taxes went up so much when the schools were built but as we know that's not gonna happen."

"It's just a shame, I grew up here, I went to Sequoya, and they just built that school about 10 years ago so it's sad to see it go," said Tiana Fiore who lives behind the middle school.

The schools will be closed by next September.