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Ad Hoc Committee on school use to meet Monday |
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Written by Publisher
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Friday, 12 March 2010 |
Photo by Ted Lutz
The state Department of Education has presented "achievement recognition" awards to Kane schools for attaining Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP) status for two consecutive years. Receiving the keystone-shaped awards at the school board meeting Thursday are, left to right: Jeff Kepler, principal at Kane Area High School; Jim Fryzlewicz, principal at Kane Middle School; and Linda Lorenzo, principal at the Chestnut Street Elementary School. AYP is based on results from the PSSA tests given each year.
The Kane School Board has named an Ad Hoc Committee that will explore uses for the vacant Mt. Jewett Elementary School and the soon-to-be vacated Chestnut Street Elementary School in Kane.
The 12-member committee will hold its first meeting Monday at 6 p.m. in the library at the Kane Middle School on West Hemlock Avenue. The meeting is open to the public.
Dave Westerburg and Ken Kane, both members of the school board, will serve as co-chairmen of the Ad Hoc Committee. The panel has the task of developing options for the vacant school buildings.
The Mt. Jewett school closed at the end of the 2007 school year. The Chestnut Street school will close this summer. A new elementary school has been built as an addition on the east side of the middle school.
Stephanie Eckstrom, president of the school board, announced the formation of the Ad Hoc Committee at the school board meeting Thursday at the middle school auditorium.
In addition to Westerburg and Kane, the members of the committee include:
nSue Holt, who is representing the Kane Borough Council.
nJoe Hannold, who lives in the “neighborhood” of the Chestnut Street school.
nMelissa McGuire, who lives in the “neighborhood” of the Mt. Jewett school.
nAmber Hancharick, executive director of the Kane Area Industrial Development Corporation (KAIDC).
nRobert Cartwright, a representative of the Kane Chamber of Commerce.
nAnita Danielson, a representative of the Mt. Jewett Rotary Club.
nDick Bly, Michael Park and Linda Hearst – all “at large” members. Bly is a former Kane borough councilman. Hearst is a retired Kane teacher. Park is a former Mt. Jewett borough councilman.
The Mt. Jewett Borough Council earlier this month named Councilman Brad “Chip” Lannen as its representative on the Ad Hoc Committee. However, Mt. Jewett Council President Chuck Paar said Thursday that council plans to name “a new representative” in place of Lannen.
The appointment is expected to come Sunday when the Mt. Jewett Borough Council meets in special session at 4 p.m. at the borough building. The meeting is open to the public.
According to a proposed timeline, the Ad Hoc Committee is expected to come up with its “direction of disposition of buildings” by June.
The committee is expected to describe how the options would best serve the interests of the students and taxpayers in the school district. The panel is expected to outline the pros and cons of each option as well as a timeframe and a financial summary.
The school board will review the report from the Ad Hoc Committee before making its final decision on the fate of the vacant school buildings. The school board decision on the buildings is expected to be made by July, according to the timeline.
In a letter to the school board, the Mt. Jewett High School Alumni said it would be “a great detriment” to demolish the Mt. Jewett school.
“Please do not have these buildings torn down,” the Alumni said in a letter signed by Winnie Edinger, president of the group and a former councilwoman in Mt. Jewett. The Mt. Jewett High School closed at the end of the 1951 school year.
In another letter to the board, Bill Rietter of 608 Greeves St., Kane, offered praise for the formation of the Ad Hoc Committee.
“It is very refreshing to hear that all citizen input will be considered,” he said. “This alone may change the area’s thoughts from negative to positive. We have needed a plan regarding how best to use our vacant factories, homes and school buildings for some time. There are so many possibilities that would raise our tax base.”
Rietter did not ask to be considered for a seat on the Ad Hoc Committee.
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Last Updated ( Saturday, 10 April 2010 )
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