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Show fore February 22nd. The COUNTY NEWS urges that meetings be held in both M in -ersville and Beaver as well as Milford, so that all county coun-ty residents can become Informed, In-formed, not only to the im -mediate problems, but to the possible consequences and costs to taxpayers if a rational ra-tional action is not taken. Supt. Haslem explained that projected enrollments at Miner sville Elementary would force 5th -6th -7th -8th grades into one classroom next year. This is not conducive con-ducive to a good program and would not likely be approved ap-proved by the state. He also noted that reduced reduc-ed enrollment at Milford High School would require staff reductions which would result in cutting of some programs, Including football, foot-ball, girls athletics, wrestling, wrestl-ing, and at least a cutback in music programs, and some elective subjects. 1 He offered as alternatives to these cutbacks: 1. Bussing some or all of the Mlnersvllle sutdents to Milford. 2. Bussing 7-8-9-10 to Milford and allowing grades 11-12 to finish high school at Beaver if they want. 3. Leave things as they are, and try to develop other programs such as baseball for MHS. 4. Consolidation of Milford High School to Beaver. 5. Bussing Mlnersvllle 8-9-10-11-12 to Beaver. 6. Raise taxes and try to ride out the slump In enrollment enroll-ment until growth alleviates the problem. Haslem said he felt four grades in one class was too much age spread and too many subjects for one (Continued on Page 2) Approximately thirty Interested In-terested citizens from Milford Mil-ford and Mlnersvllle who attended at-tended the School Board meeting in Mlnersvllle last Wednesday, Feb. 1, heard a number of alternatives to alleviate al-leviate problems of enrollment enroll-ment at Minersville elementary elemen-tary and Milford High School, but no decision was reached as to what course of action ! should be taken. The School Board In fact, ; did not adjourn the meeting, , but will continue it on Wednesday, Wed-nesday, Feb. 22nd, at 6:00 j pjn., also in Minersville. I A meeting is scheduled for 4:30 - 5:30 p.m. Thursday, at Milford High School to i Inform residents of the im -i mediate problems facing M inersville Elementary and ! Milford High School. Every-' Every-' one interested is welcome to j attend these meetings, i EDITOR'S NOTE: There is some discrepancy as to whether another meetingwill i be held in Minersville be- ' hi rkiiiJ-i i' Representative Marriott so people understand, she said. Karl Truman said, "We have to try to solve our problems prob-lems as a board." "However, the Board may have to say we can't do certain cer-tain things," Haslem said. "We just don't have the money." There was more dicuss ion about the town meeting held the previous night, and many expressed the opinion that those attending didn't have the facts, and there were no school boarifmembers present pres-ent to explain them. It was generally agreed that another an-other informative meeting should be held to give the public a chance to hear the Issues and then make up their minds. Later the board entered extensive disucsslon relative rela-tive to 1978-79 staffing, attendance at-tendance patterns, budget and law. Board member Sullivan Sulli-van said he could not support the cuts at Milford High School. He said If we can afford to tax the people of Beaver County to maintain Mlnersville Elementary, we can tax them to keep the programs pro-grams at MHS. Truman said, "Then maybe may-be it's time to consolidate." "If you think that's what the people want," Sullivan said, "you should put a motion mo-tion on the table." The discussion dis-cussion reached a stalemate and at 5:10 p.m. James A. Mayer moved the meeting be recessed until 6:00 p.m. on Wednesday, Feb. 22nd, at the Mlnersville School, and that informative meetings beheld in the interim. Mrs. Pam McMullln asked ask-ed the board to furnish a wrestling coach for Mlnersville Mlners-ville elementary pupils. At the present time parents are taking 15 Minersville pupils to Beaver to take wrestling. She requested that the Minersville Min-ersville 8th grade be authorized to participate in the student body elections at Beaver High School. The board Informed Mrs. McMullln that this would have to be considered by the Beaver High student body council and school administration. adminis-tration. Mrs. McMullln also drew the attention of the board to the fact that no Minersville girls are participating in the Pep Club this year. Some girls tried out, but none got into the club. She said some felt the judging should have considered these things. Superintendent Haslem reported re-ported that Buehner Block representatives flew down to examine the spalling of ce -ment at the Beaver High gym and their repairmen will be down to make repairs about next week. William W. Firmage reported re-ported that quite a few people are concerned about not having the ski program at Mt. Holley. The board reviewed re-viewed its previous decision on the ski program, but there was no feeling that it should be changed. Superintendent Haslem reviewed the attendance report re-port of Milford High School. The precentage of absentees had been higher than usual for the school, during the first half year. Supt. Haslem reviewed the status of the school district's requirements for graduation. A Milford High faculty com mittee has examined the problem and made some initial ini-tial recommendations Achievement test companies have also developed standardized stan-dardized tests that could be used to meet graduation requirements. re-quirements. The administration adminis-tration will further examine the tests, acquire more information in-formation and at the monthly month-ly meeting of superintendents next week and then will appoint ap-point a committee from both high schools to finalize a recommendation to the board. Principal Lee R. Pettey met with the board and discussed dis-cussed staffing for the next school year. Teacherseval-uations Teacherseval-uations were considered. E. Terry Henrie moved that substitute teachers be paid $35.00 per day beginning begin-ning with the 1978-79 budget bud-get year. The motion was seconded by James A. Mayer May-er and received the unani-m unani-m ous vote of the board. HERE'S MORE ABOUT SCHOOL BOARD teacher to handle. He would then recommend that Minersville Min-ersville 8th be put on a bus. Kent Marshall reported that at a town meeting in Minersville Tuesday, he and Pam McMullln had been chosen as spokesmen by the approximately 50 present. He said that approximately 75 percent of those present at that meeting had voted to leave things just as they are now. Supt. Haslem said besides the immediate cuts in staff and programs at Milford, that barring growth, in five or six years It might be difficult to keep Milford High School open. Pam McMullln asked,' "What happens if growth does occur? What will happen hap-pen to the Minersville students stu-dents if they are at Milford?" Karl Truman said they might find themselves back at Beaver. Supt. Haslem affirmed af-firmed this could be so. Mrs. McMullln said, "That's just what we don't want. Why should we be kicked back and forth." EDITOR'S NOTE: It's possible that If growth occurs oc-curs that Minersville could be given the choice of which school they wanted to attend. However, it's unlikely they would be forced to make a move. BHS is not endangered, endang-ered, and should receive some growth along with the rest of the county. They are receiving a steady growth grow-th at present. If and when major growth does come, it will require new construction. construc-tion. New construction would be more economical in one location rather than two. It would be cheaper in Milford where there is room for expansion ex-pansion than in Beaver where there is no room for expansion expan-sion near the present facilities. facili-ties. Depending upon how much growth Mlnersville receives, it's possible that they could eventually have their own high school. Consolidation was discussed. discus-sed. "I don't feel that consolidation con-solidation is the answer," Haslem said. "However, I do feel the 8th grade should be bussed." He asked if those attending the Minersville Miners-ville town meeting were correctly cor-rectly informed about the four grade classroom situation. situa-tion. "We voted on It," Mrs. McMullln said, 'ISome may not have understood. This year with only four 8th grade students, it wouldn't make much difference, but what about when we have sixteen 8th graders?" "Will the Board work with us?" Connie Marshall asked. ask-ed. She related to the cooperation co-operation between Milford and Minersville in the past. We should try to work things out for the best of all, but we need to have the facts, |