School board hears plans for shuffling elementary school students

“We as an administration want to close Coldbrook and we want to do it as soon as possible”

Students in some Chambersburg Area School District elementary schools could be shuffled to other buildings if the board gives approval to one of three redistricting proposals presented Wednesday night. via Chambersburg Public Opinion

[Ret-Fed]

"We as an administration want to close Coldbrook and we want to do it as soon as possible," Superintendent Joseph Padasak said. "We have issues there. That school is such that we should not be putting kids in it."

Could someone enlighten us as to the "issues" at Coldbrook. I don't think it is adequate to simply say there are "issues" at Coldbrook without a little more explanation. Padasak makes it sound like the kids are at some type of risk by being there. Thanks !

[SAYWHAT]

The school board probably has friends that want to build a new house on the new lots available at Coldbrook.

[Tax me to death]

the details come later, after the board approves his every wish. Can someone tell me if act 1 requires any of these actions the admin is taking to be taken to the taxpayers (sorry Stakeholders) via referendum?

[catwoman]

what is wrong with Guilford Hills Elemetry

[jjc]

Ret-Fed wrote:

"We as an administration want to close Coldbrook and we want to do it as soon as possible," Superintendent Joseph Padasak said. "We have issues there. That school is such that we should not be putting kids in it."
Could someone enlighten us as to the "issues" at Coldbrook. I don't think it is adequate to simply say there are "issues" at Coldbrook without a little more explanation. Padasak makes it sound like the kids are at some type of risk by being there. Thanks !

From the Hagerstown Newspaper:

Coldbrook presents a number of problems, Padasak said. It has no air conditioning, cafeteria or gymnasium, its library is in a trailer and the building has been cited for fire code violations, he said.

[out now]

I was sad to hear they want to close Coldbrook. I went ther as did board president Dr Orndorf. After listening to Joe's reasons, it makes sense. If the school is not safe for kids, let's not send them there. I'm not sure if sending the kids to the new school is the best idea. Maybe them should shift to Buchanon & those kids in the west end of their area go to the new school. It/s better than building a new school there. One of the first things Joe has said that I don't agree with

[Heather]

I went to Coldbrook from K-5 in the late 70's and early 80's. The library was a trailer then, there was no cafeteria then, and we had no gymnasium then either, same as today. If it was good enough back then for us, what is the problem with kids going there today? We lived through the asbestos and ice on the inside of the windows in the winter and nobody complained then. Why does every school need to be a country club resort today? If these are all of the "problems" that exist, I see no reason why kids can't continue to go there. If they are in fire code violation today then I guess we were back then too, and it was no big deal until now. Thank you Dr. Joe for bringing this to everyone's attention after 30 years.

[seriously]

They want to shift students to South Hamilton? You've got to be kidding me. The school is crowded as it is, too many students in lower grades now. Where are they going to put more students? They already stripped the school of its music room. What's next? No more art room? And to split up the grade levels, only housing lower grades at South Hamilton, shifting the upper grade levels elsewhere, is an absurd idea! What is wrong with Guilford Hills? And are they planning to shut down all these schools and overcrowd Benjamin Chambers Elementary? Good lord.

[mom]

all I can say is I am glad my son will soon be graduating and out of CASD!!!

[mom at SH]

If you want to make changes then make sure that the school getting the kids is big enough for them. My kids go to South Hamilton and they have not got enough room for the amount they have now. Rethink this.

[Ret-Fed]

jjc wrote:

From the Hagerstown Newspaper:
Coldbrook presents a number of problems, Padasak said. It has no air conditioning, cafeteria or gymnasium, its library is in a trailer and the building has been cited for fire code violations, he said.

Thanks for the info JJC. OK, Coldbrook has some issues that need to be remedied. Eliminate ALL fire code violations immediately. Why hasn't that been done ? Safety should be paramount !

However, lacking A/C, a cafeteria, and a gymnasium, do not sound like sufficient justification for total replacement. There's a lot of property at Coldbrook that could be used for some additions.

[Parent]

Is there a way to transfer a student out of the district without moving?

[anon too]

Padasek wants to close down 2 more schools, perhaps overcrowd how many others, and give the YMCA millions for a pool! What do YOU think we need more?

[Anon]

my guess is all changes are already made, just present it, pass it and move on. we (the taxpayers) are not smart enough to deal with this kind of decision !!!

[I know all]

I bet they need that land (coldbrook) for an administration annex for all the high end people they've hired.

[Confused Mom]

Closing Coldbrook and busing the children across town to the new Chambers Elementary is absurd! The children at Coldbrook have not had air conditioning, a cafeteria, and a gym for many years, yet they usually test near the top of all schools. So does air conditioning, cafeteria, and gym really matter? The children at Coldbrook have a "family" environment, which plays an important part of a child's emotional development. Many student's of low socioeconomic stance do not have both mother and father in their household. Doesn't it make better sense to keep the schools small and develop those close knit relationships with peers? Plus the schools that Coldbrook is to be combined with face more social problems. When the teacher is forced to deal with the problems, time from academics is lost! Why should the children from Coldbrook be forced to lose instruction time and ride a bus across town?

[keep coldbrook open]

gosh, for such a safty hazard I am greatly suprised the children that attend coldbrook could learn anything! so here are some facts for you. coldbrook is ranked 625th out of 1,755 schools
in pa. marion is ranked 463rd out of 1,755 schools and here is the kicker stevens is ranked 1,586th out of 1,755 schools. oh yes, this makes such great sense. here is my solution lets close stevens. maybe the children attending stevens will up thier standards instead of expecting coldbrook and marion students to lower theirs. check it out on the web at schooldigger.com

[Old Alum]

Confused Mom is not in the least "confused."

Small, neighborhood schools are out with the unionized, liberal school system crowd who can not have too many employees or enough construction to support all their trade union buddies. Every school must be "state of the art" (country club level) because that generates construction dollars. Every school must have a nurse, a psychologist, a principal, etc. because the union can not have too many folks empolyed.

The neighborhood schools are terrific for precisely the reasons Confused Mom states. But, it is not about the kids. It's about the bureaucracy. Don't be deluded into thinking what is happening is for the kids. The kids are just chips in a much bigger poker game.

The higher fuel costs get, the more kids the CASD busses. Makes sense? The goal for cost and enviornmental reasons should be more neighborhood schools. Not fewer. But, the CASD folks think they can increase taxes no matter what expenses they incur. With the future health of the US economy in serious question and fuel costs headed for the stratosphere, we will all soon wish that we had MORE neighborhood schools and not fewer.

But, don't ever be fooled into thinking the CASD board or administrators are capable of real, long-ranged strategic thinking. I have watched them in action and they consider not at all the overall economy of the country, longer term commodity prices, etc. They have no clue about these matters. They just muddle along and build and build and hire and hire.

Chambersburg Alum who went to NO A/C schools and did just fine.

[A parent]

1) PLEASE DO NOT ....Renovate heating and ventilation at Grandview Elementary School. It's not worth putting money into this building. I am not saying the staff and students do not deserve the upgrades, just don’t waste the money when you purchase land behind the existing school not so long ago for the possible reason of building a new school at this site.

2) For those parents who do not want to relocate - change can be a good thing! Yes before you bash me…my children could very well be affected by this. Kids adapt much easier and quicker to things then we adults give them credit for.

[Just me]

Is there a way to transfer a student out of the district without moving?

Well I was told by a reliable source that I can move my children within 10 miles from my home to another district and the district has to make sure your child gets to and from as long as your within 10 miles. If you are nto within 10 miles then you pay to have your child in that district