Show us a good school and we'll show you engaged parents and a sense of community in which the building is more than bricks and mortar.
Those school buildings become a central, emotional force for hundreds of people interested in quality education.
That's a pretty good description for the Round Hills and Sheridan elementary schools, which the Williamsport Area School Board voted Tuesday night to close at the end of the coming school year.
Following the votes to close the two schools, upset parents walked out of the meeting in disapproval.
That's entirely understandable.
In a perfect world, there would be no schools closing in the district.
Board President Lori Baer correctly commented, "We have fantastic schools no matter where you go."
That perfect world doesn't exist for the district. The district's student population is in the midst of a long-term downward trend and has budget responsibilities that cry out for fewer schools.
The board and administration's marching orders in this situation are to find the most efficient way to operate the district with fewer schools.
In a tough call, the majority of the board believes future operations are best served without Round Hills and Sheridan elementary schools.
But these schools consist of bricks and mortar and blackboards, the same as the other schools that students of those two schools will be attending in the future.
Wherever those students go, solid teacher relationships, a willingness to learn, cohesive instruction and positive parental involvement will still be the keys to a solid educational experience for the children.
As difficult as these closings are to accept, they should not be the death knell to a solid education the students now enjoy at the two schools.
