Elementary Schools Set to Close
By: Kevin Flanigan
Updated: February 14, 2013
ALTOONA, BLAIR COUNTY - Two elementary schools in the Altoona Area School District, Wright and Washington Jefferson, are expected to close at the end of the current school year. District Officials blame the move on declining enrollment and the need to cut costs.
With 10 elementary schools in the District and a declining student population, the Altoona School Board has been looking at a number of different options. On Wednesday, they selected an option that calls for closing two city schools
While the plan is are still in the preliminary stage, the Altoona Area School Board is moving forward to close Wright and Washington Jefferson Elementary schools. The plan doesn't sit well with some parents who appreciate their neighborhood schools.
Still district officials say they currently have too much room for their younger students and that's a problem that has to be addressed. Closing the two elementary schools should save about $1 million a year according to the district's Consultant. That's something the school officials say they have to consider.
Still because the closing will mean teacher transfers and some lay-offs, the move is a big concern for employees. The closings will mean plenty of changes for students in the rest of district as well as attendance and boundary lines for the remaining schools are re-drawn. Some parents are concerned that could lead to larger classrooms and less attention for some students.
While the board is expected to tentatively adopt the plan for closing Wright and Washington Jefferson next week, State law requires public hearings on the school closings Those meetings have been scheduled for March Eleventh at the Altoona Area Junior High School. The meeting for Wright will be held at 5:30 with the meeting for Washington Jefferson to follow at 6:30 on the same evening That's when the public will have the chance to be heard on the school closings which can be made official 90 days after those public hearings.
With 10 elementary schools in the District and a declining student population, the Altoona School Board has been looking at a number of different options. On Wednesday, they selected an option that calls for closing two city schools
While the plan is are still in the preliminary stage, the Altoona Area School Board is moving forward to close Wright and Washington Jefferson Elementary schools. The plan doesn't sit well with some parents who appreciate their neighborhood schools.
Still district officials say they currently have too much room for their younger students and that's a problem that has to be addressed. Closing the two elementary schools should save about $1 million a year according to the district's Consultant. That's something the school officials say they have to consider.
Still because the closing will mean teacher transfers and some lay-offs, the move is a big concern for employees. The closings will mean plenty of changes for students in the rest of district as well as attendance and boundary lines for the remaining schools are re-drawn. Some parents are concerned that could lead to larger classrooms and less attention for some students.
While the board is expected to tentatively adopt the plan for closing Wright and Washington Jefferson next week, State law requires public hearings on the school closings Those meetings have been scheduled for March Eleventh at the Altoona Area Junior High School. The meeting for Wright will be held at 5:30 with the meeting for Washington Jefferson to follow at 6:30 on the same evening That's when the public will have the chance to be heard on the school closings which can be made official 90 days after those public hearings.
