Keep E. Fayette open or (some) kids lose a year

Closing East Fayette will also set off significant affects on 2 schools, who will LOSE more than HALF their current students: Sara Harp Minter Elementary and Spring Hill Elementary.

Fact is, all the kids who change schools (including all those "leaving" East Fayette Elem) will face 1 significant challenge: placement; i.e. which teacher your child will have next year.

When your kid stays at an elementary school, they benefit because placement decisions are made knowing that child A would benefit by being in teacher A's classroom, and so on. Teachers at the same school know the strengths and weaknesses of their co-workers.

But if you're child is moving schools, the current teacher might not be able to come up with that perfect fit. The result could be, for some students, an imperfect year with a fair or poor teacher match instead of an excellent teacher match.

The few pushing for East Fayette's closing insist it doesn't have all the technological gizmos and doodads other schools have. BUT that's not the tipping point of a good or bad school, nor from an excellent or fair school.

What matters is the teachers and the leaders.

Why "repurpose" an adequate elementary school as an alternative school? Talk about lowering property values in a neighborhood!!! Can't believe those folks aren't howling yet.

Please BOE be honest with the voters and keep East Fayette open until you've got reams of legitimate information and not guess-timation. How much will it cost? How much will it save?

The answers to those questions are not in front of us right now. If you can't get them, leave East Fayette open.