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Possible school closure on the horizon

The Wyoming Valley West School District may close one of its elementary schools and sell the building. It has many parents upset.

KINGSTON, Pa. — Many students and adults had the same question for members of the Wyoming Valley West School Board regarding the future of Schuyler Avenue Elementary School.

"Can you please tell me how closing my school will help my education," said Savannah Adams, Schuyler Avenue Elementary School.

"I am asking you, what can we do, what can we say to keep this school open? We have a community of people, a school full of people, and our children. We all want this building to stay," said one parent.

District officials laid out reasons why they will likely need to close the school.

The building is 102 years old and needs expensive repairs to the roof and other maintenance. 

"While these decisions are hard, and I understand they can be emotional, and I understand a lot of people are impacted. I just hope that you know and you respect that when these decisions are made, it's made in your children's best interest. Their health, safety, and welfare," said Supt. David Tosh, Wyoming Valley West School District.

The district also has a hole in its budget, and one way to close the gap is to close the school building.

"This was not necessary, in my opinion. The problem is that we are at a point now where there are no good viable options to close this budget deficit," said William Hardwick, School Board Member.

Legally the district can't vote to close the school until 90 days after this meeting.

Parents have many concerns about what would happen if the school closes, the biggest being class sizes.

"My daughter will go from a class to 19 to what, 29 or 30," said Heather Soska, Parent.

"From what I understand, you want to divide the kids into different schools, and I think that is going to damage the whole purpose of education," said Sarah McCracken, Parent.

One resident did side with closing the school.

"It's not an easy decision, it's emotional, and again my unpopular hope is that you do close down," said a resident.

If the Wyoming Valley West School Board votes to close Schuyler Avenue Elementary School in Kingston, district officials say staff will be reassigned to other buildings within the district. 

That vote is expected to happen in late August. 

Check out WNEP’s YouTube channel.  

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