District
asks for help to solve overcrowding
Wednesday, January 11, 206 • By
Sara K. Satullo • The
Express-Times
BLAIRSTOWN | Forty-five community members
met Tuesday evening at North Warren Regional High School to
discuss the district's overcrowding problems with
Superintendent John Toleno and school board
members.
Toleno made a short presentation, telling
the community that, as of December 2005, the school's
student population of 1,081 is 150 students over capacity.
And by the 2009-10 school year, it is projected that number
will rise to 1,178, he said.
Toleno noted the building is 33 years old
and the science wing hasn't been updated since the school
opened.
Any plan to renovate or expand school
"ultimately comes down to the taxpayer and how it will hurt
them in the pocketbook," Toleno said.
Community members were broken up into
groups of eight to discuss how they want to solve the
overcrowding problems. Toleno presented some possible
solutions, such as updating the current facility or adding
space under the current configuration.
"Hey, listen folks, I know what I'll have
here '09-10, and I need to address the needs of the
students," Toleno said. "I'm standing here now asking you,
how do you want me to do it?"
Some participants said they needed more
information to make a decision. They also expressed fear
that once a decision was reached, it would be difficult to
get the necessary funding for expansion because taxpayers
don't understand the seriousness of the problem.
Some parents spoke of their children
being in classrooms with 35 other students, and they
expressed a desire to have that sort of information
disseminated to the public.
Toleno said there are eight or nine
different options to solve the problem, but no decisions
have been made.
"There's nothing set in stone. We just
want to look at all the options out there," he
said.
© 2006 The Express-Times. Used with
permission.
|