LAUREL VALLEY

[tubmill]

This topic has been quiet since the election. I would love to hear how everybody feels since the Laurel parents have decided to cyberschool their children. At least 300 parents have decided to do so. At $9,000 per student can you say tax raise? This whole issue could have been solved if a new school would have been built just north of Oak Grove. However the Ligonier people would have none of that.

[once a runner]

Tubmill, I agree that Laurel Valley should stay open. It's a nice school and serves their small community well. The reality is however, the schools will likely consolidate. I don't know if cyber schooling over 300 students will make the situation any better for those in the Laurel Valley school district. According to your figures, and I have no reason to doubt them, it would add 2.7 million to run the district, which would result in a tax hike. Won't the tax hike hit those in Laurel Valley as well? Because there is more wealth in Ligonier it could be argued that the people of Laurel Valley would be hit harder.

The school board will also be forced to cut costs if they are hit with a 2.7 million dollar bill. If enough students opt for cyber school, the school board could conceivably shut down the Laurel Valley school if they can fit everyone into the Ligonier schools. Just losing 300 students in enrollment will no doubt cost the district some jobs (and tax payers), but losing the school would only make things worse for the local economy.

I hope that both the school board and the Laurel Valley community takes a rational look at the likely outcomes of their actions in the near future.

[pitt75]

This seams like a hometown conversation and I don't mean to intrude, but if you will indulge me I will throw my 2 cents worth into your hat.

Consolidation will become inevitable and mandatory across the state, it may not happen in 5 or 10 years, but it will happen. I believe you will at the least be happy you did it on your terms and not the states.

The reason is small schools are more expensive to operate and although you are pleased that your taxes have not gone up, your cost per student has. That difference has been subsidized by the state and tax payers around the state...most often in bigger districts.

I can appreciate the loyalty you feel to your school; however the flip side of the coin for people paying more in property taxes to make up for the fact that they receive less state subsidy is: and I don't mean this to sound harsh..
Cut your costs or raise your taxes and quite asking us to foot the bill so your kid can graduate in a class of 40.

[tubmill]

once a runner,
They are shutting down Laurel Valley which is the school which was most recently remodeled. Cyberschooling will keep their children at home and the tax increase will hurt the Mellonites much worse than it will hurt the Laurel folks because the difference in property values.
pitt75,
Laurel Valley and Ligonier have been merged since 1966. They just have not consolidated their high schools because Ligonier refused to move the high school out of their town not even 3 miles north! This merger was never under our terms...it was the state's! As far as the state subsidizing this small school district, forget about it. We receive less than most of the districts in the state because of the skewed formula which they use. All of our residents are perceived to be wealthy because of the multimillionaires whom own homes in the district!
These mergers need to consider geographical size. Ligonier Valley School District is 224 square miles. The average size of a school district in PA is 90 square miles. Go figure. It would make more sense to consolidate the Johnstown, Ferndale Westmont Hilltop and Conemaugh Valley districts!

[costanza]

tubby:

tell me if I am wrong... I heard that the merger may go on for next year! I don't see how it could happen at this point, but people are telling me other wise. also, is it true that the board voted to have no more future meetings at the Laurel Valley end? this sounds pretty bad. what have you heard on either of these fronts?

[tubmill]

Hey Costanza,
It looks bleak! I'm not sure about where the meetings will be held. However, they voted 7-1 to have a public hearing concering closing Laurel Valley. At this point, the best we can hope for is making our school the consolidated Middle School. I do want to point out that Victor "Skip" Sansing voted against consoldating. I pointed out before that he was an intelligent guy that had no opinion on consolidation. He is not from this area. Another new board member, Mike Mannion, is a joke! He has resigned for the second time only two hours after being sworn in. Two members, Irv Tantlinger and Buzzy Maier need to think about how they will vote. LV should be kept open at least as the distric'ts consolidated middle school.

[tubmill]

It was in the paper..no more meetings at LV...only at Ligonier. Maier and Tantlinger are disgusting!

[matko2510]

tubmill is this tantlinger related to the to the tantlinger that played football and baseball for laural valley last year? i cant see how some one from new florence would want to close down laurel valley

[tubmill]

matko,

He is indeed the Uncle of the kid that played for LV. He has been pushing for consolidation for some time.













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[matko2510]

that is a real shame... laurel valley was always scappy in most sports and always well coached. they will be missed in the Heritage Conference