Salladasburg PTO has made this past year over and beyond, to top the chart for giving from their hearts … to the students and staff. The shirts were given to us all with words:

“Salladasburg Elementary. More than just a school” on the front. “Closing a chapter. Cherishing the memories” on the back.

A huge heartfelt thank you if money was given from individuals to make this possible for us all to have the shirts.

I have seven years of memories to cherish from our community’s beloved school as a two-hour employee.

Two days before the last day of school, I had a tour of Avis Elementary before going to my Salladasburg job. Oh my, our community school of Salladasburg was a mansion or castle in my eyes. We had cement block walls to separate classrooms and doors on classrooms.

My first thought was the ALICE training that is a mandated computer course staff needs to pass. What came to mind was the school board should have been made to take this course of ALICE before the Nov. 11 vote to close our Salladasburg community school. At several board meetings I heard concern for the safety of students. Everyone is concerned with safety here in our district. As I saw and felt the contrast of the two elementary schools of Avis and Salladasburg, the block cement walls to separate the classrooms were such an asset to Salladasburg Elementary. Less distracting for students to not be hearing voices from the classes next door with cement block walls.

I never was inside of Avis Elementary and what an eye opener to me — no doors to classrooms and no cement block walls between classrooms. Salladasburg could have lockdown (ALICE training) to each classroom because we had doors. This was my devastation at how Avis classrooms can have lockdown to each classroom with no doors.

Salladasburg’s kitchen was three-quarters larger than Avis’ kitchen. Twenty-five years ago Salladasburg was remodeled for a large gym-cafeteria. The library became where the gym and stage were. What a contrast I saw in my tour of Avis Elementary to what our community of Salladasburg Elementary had and is history and a huge sadness for the board’s vote to close. We never did hear Harrisburg approved closure.

Thank you to the Salladasburg PTO and individuals who paid for a catered lunch for staff the last day, June 3. Salladasburg had the support of the PTO from their hearts of care and love. We all thank you so much. I feel so sorry for the K-4 grades to never experience their elementary years here at Salladasburg to complete up to fifth grade and move on the middle school.

BEATRICE HALL

Mifflin Township

Submitted by mail