The decades-long discussion about the number of high schools in Warren County will be back before the school board next month.

A request from board member John Wortman will see the district’s solicitor presenting to the board about the process to close grades 9-12 at Sheffield and Youngsville at the July 29 committee meetings.

“I think those are discussions that need to take place given the current X”We have got to address the underlying issue of our budgeting difficulties.”

Wortman suggested that the economic conditions of northwestern Pennsylvania “will force more school districts to have the same conversation. I would like to start that conversation.”

Superintendent Gary Weber said the “best way” to have that conversation is to bring Solicitor Chris Byham to the July meeting “to go through that process. He’ll be the one handling that if that is indeed what happens.”

To close a school, Weber said that certain motions have to be made on a timeline along with a hearing.

The discussion then shifted to options.

“If we’re going to go so far as to threaten two schools,” Board member Tammi Holden said, “we look at closing three schools.”

“I don’t know if the actual schools will need to be closed,” Board President Paul Mangione said. “If we’re removing nine through 12, the rest of the school is going to remain there. This is kind of a multi-part question if you will. I guess I would like to see what different options were out there and available to us. I guess that’s where the devil is going to be back in the details. The more options we can have, it might put some people at ease a little bit more as to what it might actually look like.”

Board member Kevin Lindvay suggested the board should look at the masters facility plan (MFP) as a whole “rather than certain attendance areas.”

Weber said that much of the legwork from the MFP process is already complete.

“I don’t think we have to go through the process of hiring a firm,” he said. “We’ve done that.”