Ligonier Valley School District proposes closing Laurel Valley

A.J. Panian can be reached via e-mail . Each school day, 12-year-old Braxtyn Clark boards the bus near his Seward home for Laurel Valley Elementary School in St.

[Vanessa]

We are fighting to stop this merge. I will do anything to stop it. Some people do not realize the consicences of this merge.

[goobie]

Why is a Ohio company deciding what happens to our school. It seems every five to ten years they try to close Laurel Valley after they do improvements,But this time takes the cake. If it's really true about the board having secret board meetings and not giving the people a voice they should put it up for vote. Either way the board should resign.

[Common sense]

Does anyone realize that the Ligonier school district spends over $10,000 per student each year, while the average in Westmoreland County is around $7,000 per year???
Why do the taxpayers have to pay to keep Laurel Valley open when it's so small and yet so wasteful. Do any of you morons understand that by draining the system of financial resources the entire school district is being harmed?? Does that even matter to you??

[upset parent]

what are we going to do with the kids that get car sick on the long bus rides? Drug them before and after school for the long bus ride? What about the kids that have a hard time getting used to a new surroundings? Seward wa my home town when I grew up, I loved my school, My friends, everything was great. I moved back to this town so my Family could have the same thing. And they want to take that away from us. Our kids are our concern now. We need to vote! And keep our kids in mind.

[scott]

It looks more political and steeped in "big monies" agenda rather than the welfare of the children. I have 4 boys in Laurel valley

[Tom]

Take a look at the board members who are forcing this consolidation - two of which have been turned down for employment in the LVDS, and one who has lived off taxpayers for years! Is this retalitation!!!

[parent]

I think consolidation is a bad idea. And I really don't think it will ever happen. This is what the 1000th time it has been brought up??? Never will happen. And I am not for it at all. My son already rides the bus for 30 minutes in the morning and afternoon. Do they want the kids to have an hour long ride instead?

[CQuinn]

Morons...
that is a really nice professional way to have a converstaion??
Well, California...if you were ever in the valley, you would realize that there is SNOW...and endless amounts of land between these two schools.
Would you want your child riding for an hour and a half one way to school?
My senior year we had one girl hit by a coal truck and her body was drug through town. The driver never knew he hit her. So yes us Morons...would like to keep our kids alive. Thank you.

Common sense wrote:

Does anyone realize that the Ligonier school district spends over $10,000 per student each year, while the average in Westmoreland County is around $7,000 per year???
Why do the taxpayers have to pay to keep Laurel Valley open when it's so small and yet so wasteful. Do any of you morons understand that by draining the system of financial resources the entire school district is being harmed?? Does that even matter to you??

[reallie]

If you chose to have children and make them live in a rural setting far from civilization (schools, banks, churches, good roads, etc.), then the price you pay for your "space" is going to be a long bus ride to school for your children. One alternative is to drive them yourself. And don't tell me you cannot rearrange your work schedule. If your child's safety is important, you will make it work.

[parent]

I am sorry "reallie" but you do not live around here, so you have no idea what is going on. Yes in a perfect world parents could rearrange work schedules, but not in todays world. There are two schools, and it is just fine the way it is. Leave it alone! And I disagree that Ligonier is a rural setting far from civilization.

[upset parent]

Reallie, I live right next to all those wonderful things. I think there could be a few more options out there before closing Laurel Valley Is considered. Our children are going to be frustrated and very tired before and after school, and we all know how a typical tired child behaves, AND it will affect their schol work. Maybe you should come to our next school board meeting. August 17th!!!

[waterford]

very nice "upset parent" well done!

[reallie]

Maybe I don't really live in Baltimore.

[reallie]

Parent - did I say Ligonier was a rural setting? I'm talking about Ligonier and Fairfield townships. No one is making you live miles away. No one. It's a free country. Move closer to the school you love. Send your children to United. Move to Philadelphia where it's safe.

[reaally]

Not philly - that's for cheesesteak eaters.

[commonsense]

The parents of Laurel Valley have resisted consolidation for years citing the bus ride and the idea it is being proposed by a political agenda or "big monies" from the Ligonier end but never address the last 10 years of declining attendance.Declining birth rate, & declining population indicate a continued decrease in the future. At what point does it become inevitable, a graduating class of 30,20,??? Also look at the scores of Laurel Valley students compared to Ligonier, Derry & Latrobe on Great Schools.Com .
All of these are facts available from the census reports and sites that post the results of student performance. 5-10 minutes more on a bus for a better education is a small price. Consolidation offers more for both ends with less duplication of classes and more opportunities for all students. A consolidated gtaduating class of 150-160 is still a small class!

[Joe]

upset parent wrote:

what are we going to do with the kids that get car sick on the long bus rides? Drug them before and after school for the long bus ride? What about the kids that have a hard time getting used to a new surroundings? Seward wa my home town when I grew up, I loved my school, My friends, everything was great. I moved back to this town so my Family could have the same thing. And they want to take that away from us. Our kids are our concern now. We need to vote! And keep our kids in mind.

No LVMHS is the best school ever.

[fan121]

endless amounts of land is that what 9 miles are? and it takes about 10=15 minutes to get to ligonier not an hour and a half

CQuinn wrote:

Morons...
that is a really nice professional way to have a converstaion??
Well, California...if you were ever in the valley, you would realize that there is SNOW...and endless amounts of land between these two schools.
Would you want your child riding for an hour and a half one way to school?
My senior year we had one girl hit by a coal truck and her body was drug through town. The driver never knew he hit her. So yes us Morons...would like to keep our kids alive. Thank you.
<quoted text>

[reallie]

Consolidation - it's going to happen, unless the New Florence area is suddenly populated with a multitude of families with school-age children. There are just not enough students to keep both sets of schools open. Schools all over Western PA are facing the same problem, and have been forced to combine. It is sad, though, to see things come to an end. But, it will happen. Sorry.

[StudentOfLVHS]

merge, damnit!