Wednesday, October 27, 1999
Lakota freshmen schools up to voters
BY SUE KIESEWETTER
Enquirer Contributor
LIBERTY TWP. — Lakota school officials have resolved the issue of whether to keep freshman schools — at least for the time being.
The school board this week agreed to let voters decide in March whether to build a fourth junior school, holding grades 7 and 8. Approval would mean the district would retain freshman schools, rather than shifting ninth-graders into the district's two high schools.
The board's decision ends months of debate over keeping freshmen schools. In May, the Lakota Advisory Commission recommended the board return freshmen to the two senior highs and add classroom wings to accommodate them and a growing enrollment.
Construction of a fourth junior school was one of the other two options the committee recommended.
The board plans a special meeting 7 p.m. Tuesday to discuss the ballot issue. The issue might include elementary school construction and capital improvement projects.
“I've gone over this a thousand times,” board member Sandy Wheatley said. “It's not a commitment to keep a freshman school forever. For me it's an issue of being able to leave the options open down the road.”
Board member Joan Powell said she would support her colleagues but preferred the advisory commission's recommendation to move freshmen to Lakota East and West high schools. It would make one less transition for students and is what a majority of parents said they wanted during community forums earlier this year.
“This decision will be perceived by the community that this board has a commitment to a freshman school (concept),” Mrs. Powell said. “The extra transition (from freshman school to senior high school) is not necessary. I'm not afraid of big high schools.”
Parent Heather Chaney, who chaired the advisory commission, said she would support the board's decision and hoped the community would do so at the polls next spring.
“I'm glad they were able to make a decision and move forward,” said Mrs. Chaney, who has two high-school-age children. “In my heart I wanted (the decision) to be something the community could support.”
Mark Hooven, who worked on the advisory commission, also supported the decision.
“A lot of people have differing opinions on the freshman school. But whatever side of the fence they're on, they can't knock the program there,” he said.
The ballot issue could include money to build another elementary school as recommended in the advisory commission's report, and money to pay for a five-year capital improvement plan outlined in June.
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