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District revisits school closure issue, again

Increasing class sizes, thanks to impending school closures, was a leading topic during a hearing to discuss the fate of Avis Elementary School on Thursday.

About 20 people attended the Jersey Shore Area School District’s hearing at the Middle School, with the majority of the 13 district residents who spoke clearly opposed to closing either or both Avis or Salladasburg elementary schools.

Resident Beth McClain voiced concern the district was again considering the closures after the measure failed last year.

“I’m frustrated that closing schools and reconfiguring the district is still the best solution you can come up with,” McClain said.

“I’m frustrated because you’re still holding on to the administrative building and all the inefficiencies that come along with that while seriously considering relocating 400 children out of their communities,” she added.

Prior to comments from the public, the school administration presented charts showing a decline in enrollment in the district due to a loss of population and a growing elderly population. They also detailed a plan for reconfiguring the grades in the Jersey Shore Elementary, Middle and High Schools.

Ben Enders, district business manager, presented a report detailing savings that could be realized in closing one or both schools. Closing Avis Elementary School would save approximately $162,545 through furloughing one teacher, one secretary and a custodian in addition to savings from lower operating expenses. If both schools were closed, about $751,101 would be saved. With this scenario, three teachers, two secretaries, two aides, three custodians and two administrators would be furloughed, with the additional savings coming from a cut in operating costs.

Another resident, Kayla Calhoun, urged the school board to keep “the kids at the forefront.”

“They deserve our support and the best education we can give them. They are our future,” she said. “I am a firm believer that our children do need smaller class sizes at this day and age with everything that goes on in our society, they need help coping,” she added.

One resident cited the economy in the area as a driving force behind the need to close schools.

“It’s not a good economy. Businesses are moving out. You need to encourage people to move into Jersey Shore…one way to do that is to keep the millage down,” he contended.

The state requires a three-month waiting period after the hearings are held before a board vote can be taken on this issue, so any closure, if approved, would not take effect until the 2020-2021 school year.

School board members present at the meeting were: Craig Allen, Merrill Sweitzer, Christopher Fravel, Michelle Stemler, Mary Thomas, Harry Brungard, John Pecchia and Kelly Wasson. Absent was Karen Stover.

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