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Parents, teachers press Montoursville Area SD to keep physics as board weighs staffing and budget options
Summary
Parents, teachers and students urged the board to retain in-house physics after a long-time teacher—s retirement; commenters proposed temporary part-time hires, return-to-service via retirement-system exceptions, and careful study of dual-enrollment alternatives while the board said it is exploring options.
Dozens of parents, current and former teachers and student representatives urged the Montoursville Area School District board to preserve physics instruction after the announced retirement of a long-time teacher.
"I'm Carrie Pauling... I'm here to advocate for the 35 to 37... who plan to take honors or AP physics next year," one parent told the board, urging the district to pursue all options including temporary return-to-service under retirement-system exceptions, part-time hiring or dual-enrollment with nearby districts. She advised the board to seek a PSERS/PCERS determination and to consider creating a committee to study alternatives and volunteer to serve on it.
Speakers stressed the academic consequences of eliminating local physics. Former teacher Brad Deacon and computer-science teacher Meg Altobrando said high-school physics is foundational to engineering, medical and other competitive college programs and that students without local access will face remediation or lost opportunities. Parents and teachers also raised scheduling and transportation complications with partnering options (several speakers questioned the feasibility of using Loyalsock's semester block schedule for Montoursville's nine-period year).
In response the board said it was actively searching for multiple options: "We—re exploring all options, all possible options from dual enrollment, partnering with school districts, part-time people here," a board representative said, adding the district has advertised the position and has had very few qualified applicants statewide. The board confirmed there were 35 students signed up for physics next year and acknowledged the district may need a temporary or creative staffing solution while pursuing a long-term hire.
The matter remains under active discussion; the board did not adopt a formal resolution on the program at this meeting but said it will continue recruiting and explore short-term staffing and partnership alternatives.
