MILLERSVILLE SCHOOL: OFFICIALS EXPLAIN POSITION

MILLERSVILLE -- The Jackson Board of Education and schools superintendent Dr. Howard Jones had to clear up several misperceptions during a public hearing at Millersville Attendance Center Thursday night.

Reports that school board members are planning to close the outlying community school along with the Gordonville Attendance Center have spread during past weeks. Also circulating is a report that students from both closed schools would attend South Elementary School, which is scheduled to open next fall.

School officials said no decisions have been made.

"I have a gut feeling it's just a formality because I think the die has already been cast," said James Roche, referring to the public hearing. "I feel that once you take away the school, it's just like another nail in the coffin, and the community will just start dying out."

Many of the school's patrons voiced their opposition to closing the school during the meeting. The school should remain open because of its long existence in the close-knit community, they said. They also cited growth potential of the region and a trust issue with district patrons as reasons to keep the schools open.

"I voted for the bond issue two-and-a-half years ago because I realized that education is important," said Jeff Bollinger during the hearing. "Maybe I didn't ask enough questions then about long-term growth. Had I known that closing our neighborhood schools was being considered, I might not have voted yes so quickly."

But Jones and board members present said they are not considering any proposal regarding closure; rather, they are on a fact-finding mission to determine long-term use of the buildings. South Elementary is scheduled to open in August, he said, and redistricting lines and bus routes need to be developed before summer.

"We have to be practical and reasonable and we have to look at it economically," said Jones. "That's not the bottom line. It's possible those buildings would better serve a different grade configuration. We don't know, which is why we sent out the surveys to the patrons to get your input on the matter."

Jones said another reason for the public hearing was to find out if patrons wanted their school to remain open. In 1995, parents of at least 10 students adamantly did not want their children to attend the Millersville school because of its distance from Jackson, where they worked and had found day-care and after-school care services, he said.

If Millersville school did close, its students would attend classes at West Lane or Orchard Elementary schools.

Six students also addressed board members during the meeting. They listed several advantages in their school, including a safe, comfortable learning environment; a nice football field and playground; and, most importantly, an old school with lots of history.

"This school is special because some of our relatives went here," said fourth-grader Jessica Drum. "I feel sad that the school might shut down because other kids won't know what it's like to go to school with a big family."