Officials: Students are main concern
BUTLER TWP — Butler School District principals and administrators stressed Monday night that making students comfortable takes priority if school board members vote to consolidate schools this year.
More than 200 parents and teachers attended a community meeting at Meridian Elementary School Monday night. Meridian is among five schools proposed for closure.
Meridian students would be sent to Connoquenessing, Northwest or McQuistion.
“We’re working on getting the kids comfortable. That’s my main concern,” said Jack Ratica, principal at Northwest. “I want them to come into my building thinking, ‘I’m home.’”
“It’s our responsibility to make your children feel comfortable wherever they are,” said Josh Hundertmark, principal at Connoquenessing, who would be a principal at a newly formed middle school if consolidation plans go through.
Meridian, as well as Broad Street, Center Avenue, Clearfield and Oakland elementary schools would close in proposed consolidation plans. The remaining elementary schools would become kindergarten through fourth grade buildings, and fifth and sixth graders would attend a middle school together at the junior high building downtown.
The consolidation plans in total are estimated to save $3.5 million.
Those in attendance Monday submitted questions for the administrators to answer. Among them: Why is Meridian closing over other schools? How soon will parents know where their child is attending school if consolidation plans are approved? What will happen to the school building?
Dale Lumley, superintendent, said renovation costs played a significant role in closing Meridian over other schools, since the building needs work. And parents will know within one week of the school board voting if plans are approved.
But for Brandi Heichel and Michelle Doutt, who both have children who would’ve attended kindergarten at Meridian this fall, the uncertainty is stressful.
“It’s hard to prepare them when you don’t know,” Doutt said.
“They’re showing that this is an area of growth” southwest of Butler, Heichel said.
Adding an addition to Connoquenessing could be an option down the line if necessary, Lumley said. But Heichel argues what that could cost.
“It seems like short term savings aren’t going to be good in the long run,” she said.
Meanwhile, Shannon Querry likes the idea of her fifth grader going to a middle school with passionate, hardworking administrators. But the Meridian parent has other concerns.
“What’s it going to do to my property?” she said.
The final community meeting takes place at Oakland Elementary at 6 p.m. Monday.
Also, a special meeting will be held at 6 p.m. April 8 at the senior high school auditorium for school board members to ask additional questions about consolidation plans before taking a final vote in May.
