Montoursville Area SD reviews SiteLogic report and enrollment projections as consolidation option

District staff presented a draft SiteLogic report and enrollment figures during the Aug. 27 Montoursville Area School District board meeting and told the board the report is now posted online for public viewing.

The staff presentation highlighted a preliminary "mothballing" savings estimate of about $42,000 in shell-level savings for keeping one building at minimum operations; presenters cautioned that figure excludes maintenance and other ongoing costs. The board reviewed current enrollment counts noted in the meeting — Valley at 195 and Lighter at 380 for a combined total cited by the presenter — and multi-year projections from Crabtree and state sources that show modest declines and year-to-year variation. Kindergarten enrollment for the year was reported as 115 (state projection 117).

Board members and public commenters raised logistical and community concerns tied to any consolidation plan, including potential loss of nearby athletic fields, parking and after-school program capacity, and how land could be sold while retaining fields. Several participants urged careful planning to avoid creating oversized classes, and discussion included the need for architects to model options; the board did not authorize architects at the meeting. The chair announced an executive session on a real-estate matter after adjournment and said staff would continue to refine options for future public discussion.