The districts presentation Wednesday didnt mention specifically how the closings could affect staff levels, only that an anticipated reduction of staff would be a budgetary consideration for any building closing.
Board member Dorothy Sirolly said she knows closing the schools is a reality, but said she wants to put the closings off at least a year.
. We ask that you report content that you in good ith believe violates the above rules by clicking the Flag link next to the offending comment or fill out this form. New comments are only accepted for two weeks from the date of publication.
The district proposed closing the Pocono and Barrett elementary centers Wednesday night while reopening the Swiftwater Intermediate School to centralize all of its Pocono Mountain East High School feeder schools on its Swiftwater campus.
Its math, he said. If its that broke, its not going to sell.
While public perception in the past had been vehemently against closing schools, it was split Wednesday night.
She did not say if the budget includes the loss of any support staff members.
The district then put the schools on the market all except for Swiftwater Intermediate. None of the schools have been sold yet.
Both administration and school board members stressed efficiency and not cost-cutting for the closings.
Robison said it woulnight school for high school Pocono Mountain School District eyes two elementaries for closurednt be possible at this time because there wouldnt be enough room at all the buildings.
The district said it could save almost $8 million by closing the schools just in capital improvement needs at the buildings scheduled for the 2014-15 school year. Barrett needs a $6.5 million heating, ventilation and air condition unit.
In 2011, the district closed the former Barrett High School,Online Higher Education. Online Education which was housing its Pocono Mountain Learning Academy. It also discussed closing Barrett Elementary Center, but decided against it.
Megan Dunlay, who said the Barrett school is dedicated to the memory of her grandther, said that while she understands what the school means to the people of the township, We talk about the spirit of the community in Barrett, she said. But I think the Barrett students can bring that spirit of community to any school.
This is not a car plant were closing, she said. There are intangibles. And the intangibles of educating children are real.
In 2012, the district closed the Coolbaugh Elementary Center, the Coolbaugh Learning Center and the Swiftwater Intermediate School.
For the third time in three years, the Pocono Mountain School District has proposed a plan to close schools to combat its dwindling enrollment and use its cilities more efficiently.
However, Mike Alexsich of Canadensis said a school that run down wont sell when it goes on the market.
District Superintendent Elizabeth Robison announced early in the meeting that the current preliminary budget which she said could change before its approved by June 30 accounts for the loss of 15 members of the professional staff of teachers.
There was no mention of combining the two high schools back into one. There was some discussion of combining the junior high schools, since the capacities of both under the consolidation plan would still be 48 and 55 percent.
The proposal isnt final. The district must hold a public meeting on the proposal scheduled for Feb. 25 and hold a final vote for the closings in late May.
In the last three years, the district has lost 479 elementary students from its 2010 enrollment to 2012. In just the last three months, its lost another 49. Thats more than 10 percent of elementary students lost since the start of the 2010-11 school year. The districts projection predicts the lost of another 116 elementary students by next year.
