The book is officially closed on East Penn, Mahoning, Franklin and Shull-David elementary schools in Lehighton Area School District.

Lehighton’s school board approved resolutions Monday, all which passed by a 6-3 vote, to close each of the four schools.

According to Superintendent Jonathan Cleaver, the action is part of a process required by the Pennsylvania Department of Education when a district is opening a new school.

Starting this fall, K-5 students will be attending the newly constructed $33 million Lehighton Elementary Center, located adjacent to the high school.

Monday’s votes were not unanimous, however, as directors David Bradley, Gail Maholick and Joy Beers voted against the resolutions for closing each school.

“We still have options,” Bradley said. “I don’t believe everything was properly explained to the people.”

Andrew Yenser, who joined Wayne Wentz, Larry Stern, Rita Spinelli, Steve Holland and Richard Beltz in approving the resolutions, said the district is “too far down a path” to switch gears at this point, noting that occupancy approval for the new elementary center will hopefully take place this week.

In 2015, the district held a state-mandated Act 34 public hearing, outlining its intention to construct the new school.

Bradley, on Monday, said he interpreted Pennsylvania school code as requiring either a public hearing or a voter referendum to move forward with the new school construction.

“I’m curious as to why the board didn’t opt for a referendum,” Bradley said. “I don’t believe the past board asked the people what they wanted. I think they used other loopholes available to them and silenced this community.”

The comments didn’t sit well with Spinelli.

“You think people always want to do something your way,” she told Bradley. “That isn’t always the case. Other people do things morally and want things morally and you need to stop deciding for other people.”

Beers defended Bradley, responding, “I think Dave is just trying to guide this board in a direction that makes sense to him.”

The district would have been forced into a referendum if building costs exceeded a state calculated limit.

According to the Pennsylvania Association of School Business Officials, over 75 percent of referendums on school construction projects have been rejected by voters since 2006.

District administration has touted benefits such as consolidation savings, $1.2 million per year, and evenly distributed class sizes.

Contracts approved in August 2016 included Lobar Inc., general contractor, $23,448,900; JBM Mechanical, mechanical contract, $3,897,000; Jay R. Reynolds, plumbing contract, $1,692,700; and Phillips Brothers, electrical contract, $4,009,200.

The 162,000-square-foot building is set up with the K-2 primary classrooms on one end of the building and the 3-5 elementary classrooms on the other side. Core areas will be centrally located.

The future of two of the four elementary schools has been decided. The district sold Mahoning for $350,000 last year at public auction to Behavioral Health Associates. In addition East Penn Elementary was also sold last year for $350,000. Duane and Lavona Schleicher plan to open a senior living center at the site.

Also on Monday, the board approved a grade realignment which moves fifth grade out of the middle school and into the elementary center.