LIGONIER — The Ligonier Valley School District has a decision to make and it’s a big one.

District officials are considering reconfiguring the district by closing the Laurel Valley Middle/High School in New Florence and moving students into the Ligonier Valley middle and high schools beginning with the 2010-11 school year.

The idea emerged from a feasibility study by Ohio-based Warner Concepts LLC. It says the grade reconfiguration would “allow flexibility in educational programming, grade level transitions, facility capacity and additional educational opportunities for all students.”

It also points to saving the district upward of $800,000 a year with the merger.

But the idea of consolidation is nothing new in the district. In fact, it has been an ongoing issue since the state merged the Laurel Valley and Ligonier schools districts in 1966, and every few years the discussion resurfaces.

“No decisions have been made at this point,” said Superintendent Christine Oldham. “There is still a lot to consider and we have made no decisions as to whether we will move forward or hold still.”

To further expand on the Warner study, four members on the school board have been put in charge of researching information on education, transportation, financial impact, and buildings and grounds.

“We want to offer the best educational opportunities we can. That is our responsibility. So we are gathering additional information so we can make the best decision,” Oldham said.

Before the board can vote on the merger, a series of public hearings must be held so citizens can voice their concerns and have questions answered.

No dates have been set for the public hearings or vote, but Oldham said the state Department of Education would require notification between June 15 and Aug. 14 of next year, should the district choose to close the building.

The school district covers a 230-square mile area in eastern Westmoreland County.

The Laurel Valley community consists of Bolivar, New Florence and Seward boroughs, St. Clair Township and the eastern part of Fairfield Township. Ligonier Valley incorporates Laurel Mountain and Ligonier boroughs, Cook and Ligonier townships and western Fairfield Township.

The district now has five school buildings – R.K. Mellon and Laurel Valley elementary schools, Ligonier Valley Middle School, Ligonier Valley High School and Laurel Valley Middle/High School.

The Warner study recommends two elementary schools for kindergarten through fifth grade, one middle school for sixth through eighth grade and one high school for ninth through 12th.

‘Heart of the

community’

Carol Henderson of New Florence said the idea of consolidating the schools is wrong and unfair to the residents in the Laurel Valley area.

“It’s an idiotic idea to close the school because it’s the main heart of the community, and there are other options that need to be explored,” she said.

“If it’s not broke, don’t fix it.”

Henderson, who was on the Ligonier Valley school board from 1995 through 2007, has become the unofficial leader of a group of people who are opposed to the merger.

The opposition has gained so much momentum that she created a Facebook page – “Save Laurel Valley Schools” – that has close to 600 individuals who have joined the group in its fight.

“I own property in New Florence and have two kids – a seventh-grader and a ninth-grader – in the district, and I’m not one to sit back and do nothing,” she said.

Henderson said parents are concerned about longer bus rides for Laurel Valley students, which could be anywhere from 45 to 65 minutes one way to get to the Ligonier schools.

“We (school board) had a transportation study done in 2004 and it proved this cannot be done and is not feasible,” she said.

Bob Stephens is the owner of Bigginz Pizza & Ice Cream shop directly across the street from Laurel Valley Middle/High School. Stephens said moving the students to Ligonier would spell disaster for his business.

“We supply food for the (Laurel Valley) concessions and that will all come to an end for us,” the New Florence resident said.

“It’s hard enough for the little guy with the economy the way it is and this would only make it harder.”

He fears that property values would plummet if the consolidation happens.

“Who would want to move here and have their kids shipped 20 miles away to go to school?” Stephens said.

‘What is realistic’

School board Vice President John Maier believes that due to the decline in enrollment, consolidating the secondary schools is the right choice.

“What is most important is the education of the children, and we also need to be financially responsible to the taxpayers,” he said.

District data show 2,363 students were enrolled in kindergarten through 12th grade during the 1999-00 school year.

By 2008-09, enrollment had declined to 1,905 students, a decrease of 458 students over a 10-year period.

“Right now it is a matter of sitting down and evaluating where we are and what makes sense for the kids and what is most realistic,” Maier said.

Ultimately, he believes it will be the voters who will decide the school’s fate when they take to the polls next month to cast their vote for school board directors.

“This vote will indicate what the people want and in what direction we should be going,” Maier said.

The complete Warner study, appears at lvsd.schoolwires.com.

Click on the “district feasibility study” link at the right.