The consolidation project for the elementary schools, which has been brewing for the past five-and-a-half years in the Wyalusing Area School District, finally culminated in a ground-breaking ceremony Monday at the site of new facility.

Members of the Wyalusing Area School Board and district administrators tossed a shovelful of dirt at the site, located behind the Wyalusing Junior/Senior High School, signifying the beginning of construction of a building which will consolidate Wyalusing's four elementary schools - New Albany, Camptown, Wyalusing, and Laceyville - under one roof. The district is consolidating its elementary schools as a cost-saving measure. The new elementary school is expected to be completed in June 2011, at a cost of $26.9 million.

Wyalusing School Board President Deborah Stethers said during the ceremony it was a great honor and pleasure to be there with everyone at the beginning of the construction project.

"The commencement of this building project is a time for all of the communities of the greater Wyalusing Valley to look forward to enhancing the education of all of our elementary students in one structure," Stethers said. "In this endeavor, the site chosen for the new building - the ground we are now standing on - will ultimately bring our families and communities together for the goals we share in educating our children and grandchildren.

"A diverse group of dedicated community leaders have contributed greatly to this process," Stethers continued. "We are indebted to them for their efforts on behalf of their communities. We would be remiss if we didn't include the Homers, Les Bear, Ellis Katz, Carol Dengler, David Conn and the Wilson Law Firm, as well as all of the local government groups, in helping us to get to this day."

Another speaker was board member Vincent Amoroso, who was deeply involved in the consolidation process.

"It's been quite an honor to serve on the two committees that brought us to this day," Amoroso said. "The one thing that I would like to convey to you now is that the processes that were used I thought were very, very appropriate. The meetings were open, we shared ideas. We had the right people involved at the right times at all levels. Because of that, I think that's something that we as a district can be very proud of. That process went very, very well."

Elementary school Principal Joe Darrow also provided comments about the project during the ceremony.

"Our number one priority always has been and always will be to provide the best education in a fair and balance system," Darrow explained. "The benefits and the detriments of consolidation have been discussed and planned for. Our goal now is to look at those detriments and overcome those situations and make it the best education environment we possibly can for our communities."

Also attending the ceremony was state Rep. Tina Pickett, who talked about the importance small school districts have for their respective communities.

District Superintendent Ray Fleming explained after the ceremony that the consolidation project was first proposed back in 2004. A feasibility study was conducted, he said, although it wasn't until December of that year it was mentioned publicly.

Fleming said he and other administrators held town meetings at the four elementary schools as well as the high school to present the consolidation proposal to the public. He said the idea was a controversial one, and many people at the public meeting were angry at the idea. A citizens committee was formed to study the plan, Fleming continued, which he thought was pretty well balanced - made up of people who were both for and against consolidation.

In September 2005, the superintendent said, the school board voted 7 to 2 to for the consolidation project. But that year, five new board members were elected to the school board and on the first night they took office in December, the board voted 5 to 4 against consolidation.

Fleming said another citizens committee was formed and again the matter of whether to consolidate was discussed.

"We looked at the numbers again," Fleming said. "The group met in the summer (of 2007) and they came to the conclusion that we don't have any choice - we had to consolidate."

The next two years, Fleming said, the district has been working at what it believes would be the best consolidation plan, and the construction of the Wyalusing Valley Elementary School is the result.

Although board member Chad Salsman was initially against consolidation, he eventually voted for the project. Initially, Salsman explained, he wanted to see if the district could negotiate with the teachers' union to see if money could be saved in that fashion, instead of consolidation. When he realized that was not possible, Salsman continued, he decided to support consolidation.

"I think consolidation is the best way we can save the district money if we can hold the line on future spending," Salsman said.

One board member who voted against consolidation was Richard Robinson. He said his only concern on the matter is the distance that some of the elementary students will have to be bused to the new facility. Robinson explained that he had served as the elementary principal in Sullivan County when that district consolidated its elementary schools. Robinson recalled seeing some Sullivan elementary students bused in who were asleep or crying because of the distances traveled, and he's concerned because the same situation may occur in Wyalusing.

C.J. Marshall can be reached at (570) 265-1652; e-mail: cjmarshall@thedailyreview.com.

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