Report favors school closings
CONNELLSVILLE – Armed with a feasibility study showing a steady decline in the number of students, the Connellsville Area School Board is taking a look at closing some schools. A steady decline in the student population and statistics that indicate the figures will continue to drop, plus the continual rise in operational costs, have prompted certain school board members to recommend that the district close the doors of some neighborhood schools.
“I know that it is a tough pill to swallow, but we cannot continue on this path,” said Francis Mongell, board president and an advocate of downsizing the district. “If we are to properly educate our students and not burden property owners with additional taxes, our only option is to cut costs.”
Of the various options listed in the P.J. Dick Inc.-prepared feasibility study, the two that appear to have support would maintain the district in its entirety, including the current grade levels, with the second involving the closure of three elementary schools, operation of kindergarten through grade 4 at the remaining elementary buildings, implementation of a grade 5 through 8 middle school at the current two junior high schools and the initiation of a grade 9 through 12 senior high school.
The proposal would also include a kindergarten through grade 3 be operated at C.N. Pritts Elementary School and grades 4 through 7 at the Springfield Township Elementary School.
According to the feasibility study, consolidating kindergarten through grade 3 would result in the transfer of 64 students and bring the C.N. Pritts building total to 349. A total of 339 students would be housed at the Springfield facility.
The study indicates that “some renovations” would be necessary to accommodate the older students, including raising restroom fixtures and adding showers to the locker rooms.
Springfield is the newest district facility.
“The concept of a mountain sub-district for kindergarten through grade 7 is feasible and results in an efficient use of existing building capacity,” states the study.
The trio of buildings under consideration for closure include Connellsville Township, South Side Elementary and Dunbar Borough schools with Bullskin Elementary to absorb the kindergarten through grade 4 Connellsville Township student population; Zachariah Connell to take in the same grade levels from South Side and Dunbar Township to include its neighboring Dunbar Borough elementary students, should the option be approved by the board.
The Bullskin school total population would be 417, down from 451 students now enrolled at the school with the reconfiguration. Zachariah Connell would increase its student body from the current 372 to 471 under the new plan while Dunbar Township population would decrease from 642 to 600 with the new option.
A portion of Connellsville Township Elementary School is used for administrative staff.
The middle school concept of grades 5 through 8 proposed for the now junior high school format would increase the Junior High East student population from 813 to 900 with the inclusion of mountain school eighth graders enrolled at the school.
At Junior High West, the population would decrease from 616 students to 599 students, according to the feasibility study.
With students in grades 9 through 12 attending class at the high school, the population would increase minimally from 1,201 to 1,239.
The Connellsville Area Career and Technical Center would maintain its enrollment under the status quo option or with the implementation of the restructuring of the grade levels.
Under the new plan, students in grade 9 through 12 would have all classes at the center.
Proponents of the restructuring plan estimate the district would save approximately $6 million a year with the school closures, while those that favor retaining the district structure, state that the figure is not accurate.
“Closing the schools will solve all of our problems?” asked Kevin Lape, board member and supporter of maintaining all school buildings. “I don’t think so.”
Board member Tom Dolde said that he fears that parent involvement will decline if students are moved from the neighborhood school to another location, because of time and travel to a more distant locale.
“I went to a neighborhood school and I loved it,” he said.
There are renovation costs tied to both plans.
Most facilities would see some type of renovation under the status quo option with most of the costs tied to upgrading the high school and technical center. The Pittsburgh-based consultant estimated the costs to range from $78.3 to $94.9 million.
The second option would include the construction of six classrooms to accommodate incoming students plus additional shops at the career center and renovations to other buildings. The costs, according to P.J. Dick, would range from $66.3 to $80 million.
The board has directed James Duncan, district superintendent, to have school principals review the proposal and offer their input before it begins public hearings to garner its opinion.