Parents weigh in on possible closure of school

Concerned about the possible closure of their children’s school, about 30 parents attended a PTA meeting Tuesday at New Emerson Elementary School.

The West Mifflin Area school board will hold an Act 38 hearing Feb. 14 to address the school situation. After the hearing, the board will have 90 days to decide whether to keep the building open.

“This is the very beginning of a process,” assistant superintendent Mark Hoover said. “These are always tough decisions.”

Mr. Hoover said closing the school could save the district about $450,000.

“I know these are emotional decisions. There’s a lot of discussion taking place for keeping it open and for shutting it down — the whole nine yards.”

Several parents said that not enough notice was given about the possible school closure and that the 90-day period was not enough time for the board to make a decision.

“This is not a long process. Ninety days is really a short period of time,” said Patricia Englert, whose grandchildren attend New Emerson.

Ms. Englert added that although she had heard rumors about the possible closure, she had no idea until recently that the board was moving forward with a hearing to address the issue.

Jessica Rhodes, whose daughter is in kindergarten at New Emerson, said she moved to the district because of the school.

“She already has 20-plus kids in her class,” Ms. Rhodes said, adding she was not thrilled with the prospect of having her in a larger class next year.

Parent Sarah Hutchinson said if the school were to close it would take away the “community feel” of the area. “My hopes are to keep it open,” she said.

The school, originally named Edison Junior High School, was built in 1954. It housed grades six through nine for several decades. In the early 1980s it was converted to an elementary school.

The building was renovated in 1989 and renamed New Emerson. The school educated grades

kindergarten through fifth until the new West Mifflin Area Middle School opened in 2012 and fourth and fifth grades were moved there.

Mr. Hoover said New Emerson has room for 450 students — far more than the 173 students currently enrolled there — and is operating at about 38 percent capacity. If it stays open, enrollment next year is projected to be 163.

If New Emerson closes at the end of the current school year, the school will consolidate with Homeville Elementary, which is about 2.5 miles from New Emerson.

The current enrollment of Homeville is 550 students, but 291 currently attend.

This year, class size at New Emerson ranges from 17 to 22.5 students per class.

Consolidating the school with Homeville would bring the average class size to between 22 and 23 students per class.

“This is just a projected model. That could change,” Mr. Hoover said. He added that with the 22- to 23-student per class configuration, there still would be three or four extra classrooms at Homeville.

Mr. Hoover said the new configuration would eliminate one teacher position. However, he does not anticipate any furloughs.

The hearing will take place at 7 p.m. Feb. 14 in the board room at 1020 Lebanon Road in West Mifflin.