The Daniel Boone Area School Board voted 5-3 on Dec. 4 to re-analyze the pros and cons of closing the Birdsboro Elementary Center as a district school in June.
Birdsboro Elementary Center currently has only fifth-graders who will move to the Daniel Boone Middle School next fall.
Third-graders were relocated to the Amity Elementary Center in 2016-17 and fourth-graders followed for the 2017-18 school year.
The motion to “look at reopening Birdsboro Elementary Center,” was made by Aaron Durso, newly-elected Region 3 board member, and later amended by him “to give the administration time to come forward with a plan to reopen Birdsboro Elementary Center.”
Durso was sworn into office on Dec. 4 at the board’s annual reorganization meeting.
He has asked the board several times since April 2016 to keep Birdsboro’s school open, mainly for the benefit of the Birdsboro community.
“It’s disheartening to see that building – still a good structure – to see it deteriorating,” said Birdsboro Borough Manager Aaron Durso, prior to the board’s Aug. 28 vote to proceed with closing Birdsboro Elementary Center.
The board has evaluated and discussed the “grade reconfiguration and educational plan” since April 2016, when it approved 5-4 a three-year elementary school reconfiguration plan that would save the district $540,000.
“The reversal to not close Birdsboro Elementary Center at the end of this school year requires more than saying don’t close – facility-wise, academically, people have moved on,” said district Superintendent James P. Harris, adding, “The [reconfiguration] plan was submitted to the state, and it affects our budget.”
Birdsboro Elementary Center would continue to be used for the district’s current pre-K program, and would also be the future site of the district’s administrative offices.
Harris said he is working on an agreement for the YWCA to be located at Birdsboro Elementary Center, and for River Rock Academy to occupy the entire former Amity Primary Center building, which now also houses the administrative offices.
He said that if 56 kindergarteners were moved back to BEC, it would require the district to hire a principal and nurse.
“That’s not built into the budget,” said Harris, “it also requires addressing transportation.”
Jeff Scott questioned if the board could raise taxes enough to cover the capital improvement projects required at Birdsboro Elementary Center.
Birdsboro Elementary Center’s structural, HVAC, and other repair costs are estimated at $1 million.
Other new board members include Beverly Albright, Region 1; Steve Miller, Region 1; Julia Olafson, Region 3, and Bucky Scott, Region 2.
Durso approved his motion, as well as Albright, Olafson, Bucky Scott, and board President David Rathgeb.
Miller was absent from the meeting.
Board Vice President Jeff Scott and members Dane Ochis-O’Neil and Michael Wolfe opposed the motion to re-evaluate closing Birdsboro Elementary Center.
