Chris is publisher of the Greene County Daily World. He can be reached by email at cpruett79@gmail.com or by calling (812) 847-4487

UPDATED: MEETING DATES CHANGED ... WRV School Board hires firm to do feasibility study

Posted Monday, November 15, 2010, at 9:45 AM

The meetings scheduled for tonight, Tuesday and Thursday concerning the White River Valley School Corporation's feasibility study have been changed.

According to WRV Superintendent Layton Wall there was a misunderstanding on the dates.

"MGT of America cannot be here this week. This is unfortunate and creates a bit of a challenge," Wall said.

The meetings and visits to the schools will now be:

* Jan. 18 at Lyons.

* Jan. 19 at Worthington.

* Jan. 20 at WRV Jr./Sr. High.

The community events will also occur on the same nights and same places the day visits occur. They will start at 6 p.m. and likely conclude at 7:30.

It seems like yesterday that L&M, Switz City Central, and Worthington-Jefferson schools consolidated to form the White River Valley School Corporation.

Actually the paperwork was completed and the corporation became official on Jan. 1, 1988. The physical consolidation was for the 1990-91 school year.

"This was the first graduating class of White River Valley School Corporation," WRV Superintendent Layton Wall said.

I remember chatting with former WRV superintendent Stephen Campbell several times years ago about how the junior high and elementary students could eventually end up at the Switz City campus too.

The former L&M and Worthington-Jefferson campuses became elementary and junior high schools until the 2005-06 school year when the junior high schools were transferred to the Switz City campus.

Now, the WRV Board of School Trustees wants to look at what needs to be done with the two elementary schools.

Why?

Financial reasons.

The WRV School Board has hired MGT of America -- a Seattle company -- to conduct a building, curriculum and transportation feasibility study. Due to decreased enrollment and reduced state funding the board is considering options for future planning, Wall explained.

MGT of America will meet with school board officials, administrators, staff and students. Community meetings have also been scheduled.

"We are not assuming anything at this point. MGT of America will provide the board with their recommendations," Wall said.

"The board and community will analyze the recommendations and proceed from there. At this time all options are on the table."

Wall hopes community members will take part in the meetings to share their opinions.

His goals for the meetings are to learn more about:

* Building and facility needs.

* Transportation efficiency.

* Community, staff and student involvement and participation in the feasibility study and also when MGT brings recommendations to the board, what does the community want?

* Curriculum needs.

* How to reduce expenditures and become more efficient and still deliver quality education and programs the WRV community expects.

Wall added that if attendance warrants, the evening meetings will be moved to the gym at each site.

Comments

View 11 comments

Note: The nature of the Internet makes it impractical for our staff to review every comment. Please note that those who post comments on this website may do so using a screen name, which may or may not reflect a website user's actual name. Readers should be careful not to assign comments to real people who may have names similar to screen names. Refrain from obscenity in your comments, and to keep discussions civil, don't say anything in a way your grandmother would be ashamed to read.

Could the school not find a firm from Indiana to do the study?

-- Posted by EggMan on Fri, Nov 12, 2010, at 10:21 AM
If this study has been in the works, why is it just now being told to the public. They are having public meetings starting Monday night and we are just now(Friday) hearing about it? I already have three committments for Friday evening. A little more advanced warning would be nice. I have three children at WRV. At the very least a paper could have been sent home so that we could have been prepared! I guess I will have to cancel a couple of things so that I can get to this meeting. We need to have a lot of community members at these meetings.

-- Posted by farming mom on Fri, Nov 12, 2010, at 8:28 PM
Looks like the kids are going to end up spending more time on a bus than at school!! How about turning back the clock. Put all grades at L&M, the same for Worthington and see if WRV can keep it's doors open. Consolidation ends up being bad for taxes and the children get further away from home. Bigger is not always better!!

-- Posted by truthorfiction on Sat, Nov 13, 2010, at 8:55 PM
They are going to have to do some MAJOR renovations if they want to bring everyone into one building. They high school is just about to small as it is...the junior high wing...you couldn't walk though there without being shoved into the wall or bumping onto someone...there is NO room when switching from class to class. With students in their lockers and others trying to get though it was a nightmare! The high school wings were fine because the lockers are spred out more and the hallway is wider. And some Lyons and Sandborn students spend an hour on the bus to and from school everyday... I understand there is finatial issues and I see where the others are comming from you are forcing the students farther away from home and deffinetly agree with thruthorfiction bigger is not always better.

-- Posted by Bloomington Stalker on Sun, Nov 14, 2010, at 12:11 AM
The goosepond 80,000 would maybe closer to 130,000 in 2010 rates. Not sure just a guess based on what ours done the last 10 years.

-- Posted by LT on Sun, Nov 14, 2010, at 12:51 PM
Oh my!! Now we have a new schedule? Can anyone get this right? Why isn't school reach being used? We are paying for a system to reach out to parents and yet the administration did not use it to let us know of the original meetings. And have now not used it to let us know of these changes? How hard is this system to use and why do we have it if no one is going to use it? Come on WRV, let us know what is going on!!

-- Posted by farming mom on Mon, Nov 15, 2010, at 1:43 PM
We all know this is a done deal. We all know that closing down the schools will hurt the towns. Those that make the decision don't care.

-- Posted by wotownboy on Mon, Nov 15, 2010, at 8:53 PM
This is just the beginning....

For those of you who voted in favor of the property tax cap, this is the first step getting rid of the smaller schools. I do not like to pay taxes, and mine are high, but the property tax was just about the only thing keeping the schools and local gov. services afloat. It is too bad people do not do research and find out just exactly what they are voting to enact. There needed to be some modifications on how the property tax was done but not to this extent. Education and small town services have taken a huge hit on this one.

-- Posted by Hedley Lamarr on Tue, Nov 16, 2010, at 2:32 PM
I really feel sorry for the students who have sandborn addresses! I just wonder if they are considering their lives? feesability for who? taxpayers? parents? I realize the upkeep of an older building is expensive but, so is building a new school! we won't be able to afford our taxes in this school district if they build a new school!

-- Posted by lillymae on Tue, Nov 16, 2010, at 3:13 PM
http://www.acclaim-math.org/docs/jrre_archives/v17,n3,p131-137,Lyson.

An interesting article regarding rural communities and the importance of having a school

-- Posted by AutumnFuller on Mon, Nov 22, 2010, at 8:09 PM
http://www.peecworks.org/PEEC/PEEC_Research/0032ECDA-007EA7AB.0/Lyson%20schools%...

Sorry, disregard the first link. It is apparently broken.

-- Posted by AutumnFuller on Mon, Nov 22, 2010, at 8:14 PM

Respond to this blog

Posting a comment requires free registration:

If you already have an account, follow this link to login
Otherwise, follow this link to register