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Public Urges Lakeland Board to Slow Down School Closings
Wednesday, February 13, 2019

Parents, grandparents, and the community at large turned out at Lima-Brighton Elementary School to comment on the proposed closing of the school and Wolcott Mills Elementary Tuesday evening.

The plan floated by Superintendent Dr. Eva Merkel last week is aimed at reducing $1-million dollars from the district budget to address a funding shortage.

Merkel was in Indianapolis Tuesday with other area superintendents talking to legislators about funding bills before the General Assembly.

Five school board members attended the listening tour session. Board member David Larimer said he intends to introduce a motion to table the proposal at next week’s school board meeting. He said a community committee is needed to study the suggestions proposed by the community, including a referendum and other realignment possibilities.

Ed Fry told the board he has 1100 signatures so far on a petition urging the board to slow the process down.

Others felt the early introduction of technology at Lakeland is one reason the Amish are building more schools of their own rather than sending students to Lakeland.

One suggestion from Mike Strayer that received thunderous applause was to close Lakeland Middle School instead of the elementaries and realign those students. He said the middle school building could then be used as a community center.

Others urged adults to respond in the right way regardless of the final decisions made, because students will mirror the way the adults respond.

Two more listening sessions are scheduled for Thursday at 8:30 a.m and 5:30 p-m at Parkside Elementary.



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