Corry SD learned of secession idea on Monday
Will hold informational meeting with 4 Schools 4 Warren CountyBy STEPHANIE HAMM shamm@timesobserver.com
Corry school administrators first learned of a Warren County group's desire to link three schools to that district earlier this week.
"The Corry School District board of directors' first learned of this circumstance on the evening of Monday, Oct. 12," said Assistant District Superintendent Richard Emerick in an e-mail to the Times Observer on Wednesday. "In an effort to obtain more specific information, the board has agreed to participate in an informational meeting with representatives from the organization (4 Schools 4 Warren County)."
At a meeting Tuesday evening, the 4 Schools 4 Warren County group discussed the procedure to secede from the Warren County School District and link Eisenhower High School plus Sugar Grove and Russell elementary schools to the Corry School District.
According to David Bauer, a representative of 4 Schools 4 Warren County, there has been informal dialogue between the group and the Corry School District, but nothing official has transpired.
"That will come later on," Bauer said Wednesday evening, adding he is aware that a number of questions will be generated by residents in the Corry area.
Bauer noted that a few of the reasons for potentially leaving the Warren County School District include the protection of school pride and to seek help in keeping the Eisenhower High School building that has been "neglected for decades."
"We have a really well-performing school community that we don't want to lose," he explained.
Bauer emphasized, "We are not in favor of moving (out of the district) as our first option."
The idea of the Eisenhower attendance area joining the Corry School District is not new, according to Bauer, which is why he said he is beginning to look into the lengthy process of leaving now.
"This is something we discussed for a long time," he said.
The action that initiated a response from the 4 Schools 4 Warren County group was a decision by the Warren County School District's board of directors to complete a high school study through planning company DeJong, outlining various two high school scenarios for the district.
From 11 scenarios, the board narrowed the options down to two. The first option would utilize Warren Area High School and Youngsville High School as the two district high schools. The second option would utilize Warren and a new high school. Both options eliminate Eisenhower and Sheffield high schools; Sheffield would be utilized as a kindergarten through eighth grade facility.
The estimated cost of the first option would be $82 million, while the cost of the second would be an estimated $102.9 million.
Keeping four high schools as part of the Facilities Master Plan by DeJong is still on the table. Under that option, which would cost an estimated $85.6 million, Eisenhower Middle/High School would be replaced with a new school on or near the same site, estimated to cost over $24 million. Russell Elementary School would require no action, while Sugar Grove Elementary School would receive a major renovation estimated to cost $5.5 million.
The next meeting of 4 Schools 4 Warren County is 6:30 p.m. Oct. 20 at the Lander United Methodist Church.
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brianhagberg
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10-15-09 4:13 PM
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Good point five...a big reason we're still having these discussions is because Bauer got himself elected to the school board. Don't be fooled though, even back then his agenda was to keep Ike open at any cost. He's using the 4 Schools group to position himself for another political run, be sure of that.
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fivealive
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10-15-09 2:34 PM
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They are supposedly the same group, just different chapters. They have a website and two Facebook pages, if you want to check them out. Quite interesting. Although this group may seem like a bunch of 'hicks', they need to be taken seriously. This is the same type of group as the old SOS (Save Our Schools) when consolidation was talked about years ago. That group also involved Mr. Bauer and they managed to get him elected to the school board. These folks have proven in the past that they can be a (negative) force to be reckoned with and can greatly (negatively)impact the direction of the WCSD. The silent majority needs to speak up this time and be sure their voices are heard, not just the voices of this loud bunch.
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TheKeymaker
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10-15-09 1:41 PM
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He is involved in helping the Sheffield group as well....
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garypayton
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10-15-09 11:54 AM
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Why does this political action group call themselves "4 Schools?" They could care less if Warren, Sheffield, and Youngsville fell off the map! The dishonesty is exposed in the very name of the organization. As for Bauer's expertise... A guy like him would not even be on the radar screen anywhere except Warren County. He's a medium sized fish in a very small pond. Sugar Grove and Lander is his domain. (insert crickets chirping here)
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Jacksonian
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10-15-09 8:25 AM
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Five: I believe the paper publishes the meeting times of the school board every Monday on weeks that the board meets. The fact that hardly anyone attends those meetings is a subject covered by an old adage involving horses and water. I will agree, however, that Mr. Bauer is very good at what he does...up to a point. If he were truly good at what he does, he would still be on the school board, still be a county commissioner. Fortunately, there are enough people who see through what he does that he no longer serves on either of those boards.
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fivealive
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10-15-09 7:08 AM
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It would be nice if the WTO would not only print the meeting times of the 4S4WC group but also the meeting times for the school board. Maybe that would help encourage folks to listen to both sides and think for themselves. You've got to hand it to Bauer...he really is good at this. Gets the paper publishing his stuff (with little fact-checking on the WTO's part), gets people really worked up and yelling, uses skewed stats to fan the flames and somehow becomes their "spokesperson", while functioning as their leader (although there are likely many folks in that group who wish he weren't). He really is good at what he does.
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fivealive
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10-15-09 6:50 AM
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The Corry district says they just learned of this and will meet informally. Bauer says those meetings/talks have been on-going. So have they already talked or not? Or has he run into someone in the store who is peripherally assoc with the Corry schools, mentioned the idea and is now calling that informal talks? Mr. Bauer could be a positive activist in the community if he would stop resorting to tactics such as this. Threatens seccession but hasn't filled the other district in on it. Says they've already talked but district says they haven't. Uses arguments not based on facts and plays on people's emotions. His tactics have been evidences time and time again over the past 20 years. It really is a shame...his is from the area, his parents were involved in education and he himself is well-educated. All the ingredients of a good activist. Except for his methods and tactics, and possible his real motivations...
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rumbleroar
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10-15-09 12:09 AM
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Good luck with whatever happens. I would be upset if Eisenhower closed. Do whatever it takes and don't give up!
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