School’s Future is Before Board

By Robyn Meadows

Lampeter-Strasburg to make decision on Willow Street Elementary by end of May.

ROBYN MEADOWS

Residents came out in force Monday night to a public hearing on what to do with Willow Street Elementary School.

At least 20 residents addressed the Lampeter-Strasburg school board and a few dozen more sat in the audience, board President Jim Byrnes said.

The comments were mixed: Some insisted that the district rebuild the 84-year-old school.

Others expressed concerns with rebuilding: If enrollment is dropping, and it’s not needed, why spend the money?

The option the board is considering would have the district either “mothball or demolish” Willow Street, but with no firm plans to rebuild it.

“Everybody was cordial and respectful of different viewpoints,” Byrnes said. “We made it very clear that we will have deliberation and no decision will be made prior to the end of May.”

Parents who want the school rebuilt believe that a neighborhood school is better for the students and the community, said Leigh Anne Drumm, a parent who is leading the Willow Street Community Group.

“We hope the board continues to listen to the community members and their concerns for the children of this district,” Drumm said.

Come May, if the school board approves the closing, Willow Street’s 222 students would be bused to the district campus to attend the new Lampeter Elementary School indefinitely.

This would mean that all of the district’s elementary school students, except the 178 students at Strasburg Elementary would receive their education on the campus. That worries some parents, including Drumm.

In addition to Lampeter Elementary School, the school district’s Book Road campus is home to Hans Herr Elementary and its middle and high schools.

Strasburg Elementary is at the corner of Fulton and Franklin streets in Strasburg.

Three years ago, Lampeter-Strasburg school officials had included Willow Street in a master plan that included a new school, renovations to Strasburg Elementary and the reconstruction of Willow Street.

The district’s new school, Lampeter Elementary, is nearly finished.

Come fall, Willow Street students were to move to Lampeter Elementary temporarily while the district demolished and rebuilt their school.

But if the board approves closing the school, the move will last much longer than expected.

The reason the board is considering delaying the reconstruction of Willow Street is that for the first time in years elementary school enrollment is dropping.

If enrollment goes up down the road, the school board could use the site to rebuild Willow Street, Byrnes said.

(c) 2008 Intelligencer Journal. Provided by ProQuest Information and Learning. All rights Reserved.