CLEARFIELD – A few community members waited out the Clearfield school board’s approximately one hour and 45-minute executive session to confront them again about their district-wide building plans and athletic complex improvements at Monday night’s combined committee and board meeting.
In June 2011, the board approved renovating and expanding the high school campus into grades seven through twelve by a 5-2 vote. The board is currently seeking competitive bids for the $34 million high school renovation and expansion project and intends to open sealed proposals on Friday, June 15.
In January, Superintendent Dr. Thomas B. Otto recommended the district consolidate the Centre, Bradford and Girard-Goshen elementary schools and the Clearfield Middle School, moving kindergarten through grades six into an expanded and renovated Clearfield Elementary School. If approved, this project would cost the district $8.9 million.
In March, the district conducted its 780 hearing to receive public comment about their consideration of permanently closing the Girard-Goshen Elementary School. Approximately a half-dozen community members, including one with a several-page petition, disapproved moving toward consolidation. The board cannot take any official action regarding Girard-Goshen until its three-month “cooling off” period expires at the end of June.
Last month, the board awarded bids for improvements to the football/soccer stadium and track and field events as well as for the repair of the tennis courts. The district plans to convert the football field into a multi-sport facility for football and soccer by installing a FieldTurf artificial grass system.
The football/soccer stadium improvements will cost $1,750,000 and the tennis court repairs $198,000. The district received a grant for $25,000 from USA Football to be used toward installing the FieldTurf artificial grass system.
Resident Charles Lombardo told board members the students were “suffering” because of their building plans. He accused them of focusing on construction rather than the education of their students.
“Trust me, education is paramount to everyone on this board,” said board President Dave Glass. He reminded Lombardo that the district hasn’t started the construction for the high school renovation and expansion project.
“No – but it’s a done deal. You all are going to do whatever you want,” Lombardo said.
He said with the board’s implementation of Chicago Mathematics, his daughter’s grade point average has dropped. He said she wasn’t getting the proper education, and it’d affect her being accepted to a reputable college.
Resident Stephanie Dale told board members the students didn’t need the “newest and greatest” school facilities. Instead she said they only need what is “safest” accompanied by “wonderful teachers.”
She agreed that the school buildings needed repairs and even said she was willing to “pay her share.” But she believed the board was “wasting money on wants and not needs.”
“Taxes may not go up this year or even next, but they will. You’re doing this all for some publicity in sports,” said Dale. “However, these (school) buildings are used all day, every day.”
Dale encouraged the board to maintain grades nine through twelve at the high school, grades six through eight at the middle school and to return the fifth grade to the elementary schools. She said children should be receiving their education close to home.
According to her, long bus rides will place hardships on the children who reside in rural areas of the district. She said these children will be getting up earlier, spending close to an hour one-way on their bus and returning home later.
Meanwhile, she said Clearfield children will have a 15-minute bus ride. She told the board it wasn’t fair or equitable and needed fixed. At that point, Glass cut off Dale, because she’d reached her 5-minute time limit. She requested for permission to read her final paragraph, which Glass denied.
“I didn’t use my whole 5 minutes. She can use the rest of mine,” said Lombardo. Glass said Lombardo had his opportunity to speak, as did Dale, and the rules weren’t any different than the last board meeting.
Resident Roger Owens said the district was OK with students spending an hour on a bus from Girard-Goshen to Clearfield and vice versa. In addition, he said it was OK with spending for athletic complex improvements.
“How is that fair to my little ones,” he asked.
During the regular board meeting, board member Jennifer Wallace pointed out the transportation issue continues to arise among community members. She also pointed out that she’s expressed concerns about the time children will be spending on their buses if the district moves forward with the consolidation.
“But I don’t feel like I’m being heard,” said Wallace. She urged the district to explore additional transportation options to resolve the matter and offered to meet with Shawny Bennett, transportation coordinator, or other members of the administration.
