Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the School Facilities topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Residents urge board to revisit Hunt study after district signals plan to close Salliesburg
Summary
Residents asked the board to revisit the district's 2022 Hunt educational space study after hearing the district may close Salliesburg; speakers warned that the Hunt study recommended closing Avis if only a single school were to be closed and that full consolidation into Jersey Shore Elementary would exceed the building's recommended capacity.
During public comment, residents pressed the board to revisit the 2022 Hunt educational space study and questioned the district's reported plan to close Salliesburg.
Ray Beverly of Piatt Township asked whether SiteLogic had done an independent study or was relying on the 2022 Hunt study. A district staff member replied that SiteLogic had updated numbers and refreshed current market rates but was still using the Hunt study as the foundation for planning.
Beverly said the Hunt study offered five consolidation options and that the study recommended closing Avis (not Salliesburg) if only one school were to be closed. Beverly cited language from the Hunt study that described Jersey Shore Elementary (JSE) as an "ideal elementary school" and said consolidating all students into JSE would exceed an elementary capacity of 600 students. Beverly also said the Hunt study estimated that accommodating all students in one building would require at least an 18,000‑square‑foot addition to JSE to provide needed specials and support spaces.
"So the fact that you're having a buildings and grounds committee, I think it might be a good idea to go back to the Hunt study and see what their recommendations are for closing and how to how to do this, or we can end up with a real mess," Beverly said.
Bob Pryor of Mifflin Township said a prior consolidation plan to rebuild Jersey Shore Elementary and close Nipponoe, Salliesburg and Avis had been submitted to and approved by the Department of Education when he served on the board; he encouraged the board to review past records. Pryor also asked for clarification about district composters referenced in the agenda; staff replied the composters came from the Jersey Shore Elementary garden.
The board did not take formal action on consolidation at this meeting; staff and committee scheduling matters were discussed separately by the buildings and grounds committee.
