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The people with opposing views on what to do with Wilkes-Barre’s high schools – either continue to operate three upper-level schools in the district, or consolidate to two – might not ever fully agree.
And that’s OK.
What matters most is that they reach a polite accord in which, despite differences, they can work side by side to make the eventual school setup the best it can be for students. After all, this district’s years-long, multimillion-dollar effort won’t be remembered for its engineering; it’s about education.
Thankfully, certain school directors and members of Save Our Schools, a grassroots group formed in reaction to the district’s consolidation plan, are making overtures this summer that suggest they recognize they can build a future on common ground.
In a magnanimous gesture, school board officials reportedly agreed to allow Save Our Schools representatives to attend Tuesday night’s school board session and present a proposed alternative to consolidation. Proponents of the SOS plan say it would cost less than consolidation, require less money for busing expenses, and better serve the needs of students and parents.
The board meeting is scheduled to begin at 7 p.m. in the cafeteria of the Solomon/Plains complex, 43 Abbott St., Plains Township, according to the district’s website.
It remains to be seen if the alternative plan at all influences the district’s consolidation project, already approved by a school board majority and set in motion by demolition work inside Coughlin High School. Architect’s renderings of a new high school to be built on the Coughlin site were publicly released last month.
“I believe that once we move forward, there will be an excitement about this project,” incoming superintendent Brian Costello told a Times Leader reporter then.
For their part, the SOS participants realize their pitch might not sway minds – or school directors’ votes. For starters, the alternate plan probably relies on spending significant sums for land acquisition or site improvement, something that district officials might find unappealing.
Nevertheless, attorney Joe Borland, an SOS representative, indicated the group’s leaders won’t discontinue their involvement even if the district sticks to its path to high school consolidation.
“If it’s not the three-high-school system, the people in this room will still be fighting just as hard to make sure the new school benefits the students,” Borland said.
Ultimately, any turmoil caused by Wilkes-Barre Area’s long-overdue, school-modernization project will have been worthwhile if more district residents stay engaged in the schools, viewing them for what they are: community assets.
Our schools – and the students in them – deserve unending public attention and support.