Of COURSE it is a superintendent’s job to make recommendations and plans for the direction and running of a school district. He/she has the educational experience and background to do so. Most members of a school board do not. Will everyone always agree on those plans? No. But isn’t it a better idea to have a presumably neutral party making necessary plans and adjustments to the district than a group of emotionally invested individuals doing so, while they cannot even act respectfully and professionally towards each other and the people they represent? Obviously having earned a Doctorate does not automatically make one the wisest person in the room, as can be seen every time our school board gets together, but in most cases said person deserves the respect that has been earned over a career in education.

I have to give Dr. Kerr kudos for actually staying in his position here for as long as he has. Any of you out there, can you imagine going to work every day knowing what you were going to have to deal with in terms of lack of respect and downright hostility at every turn? Thanks to him and thanks to the directors who are trying to be sensible about what our district must do now and in the future to best manage our resources, time and personnel, all while striving to give our students what they deserve: the best education we can provide.

“The only recommendation that Elderton should be closed was made by Dr. Kerr in the Kerr Report in which he stepped beyond the purview of his job and tried to dictate how the district should be shaped.”

Dr. Kerr made a recommendation. The board did not have to follow it, in fact 4 members of the board did not follow it, but 5 did. Much like he is making the same recommendation now and 6 members are choosing not to follow it, the recommendation. My point is this, he made a recommendation, I believe that is his job as the superintendent. He makes many recommendations to the board, hirings, curriculum, ect. And the board votes on those recommendations. The problem as I see it is this time, people took it personally. But if we do not allow him to make any recommendations about the shape of the district, both financially and educationally, then why do we have a superintendent? What would you suppose he should do? I eagerly await your response as I really do wish to get into a rational debate with you on this topic.

I do not want the one entity you listed leading anything in this county. I have not seen anything productive they have established in this area. In fact, it seems that the reverse is occurring, but of course, we brush that off as speculation.

The hospital should fund it’s own wellness center.

This is even more reason to have the YMCA located somewhere else other than the Belmont or West Hills. The hospital should puruse it’s wellness center and locate it near the hospital.

The YMCA should be centrally located for the county.

By the way, has the Kittanning Paper or Mr. Pyle looked into the dealings with the relocation of the YMCA? I have heard all types of stories or even rumors coming from some of the board members of the YMCA surrounding the staffing decisions.

I witnessed how Mr. Rizzo was treated when he wanted to ask specific questions.

Oh no……I read very correctly who you were posting to and you poor thing, all upset that Jan didn’t answer yet!
Sorry Jan!!! LOL

Apprently you have read the reports given your snarky remarks, so how about you tell us all what is said in there? I know that I have read them too and the constant in EVERY SINGLE ONE OF THOSE REPORTS that I named above is that ASD can NOT support having as many high schools as it does. That was why Worthington, Dayton and Shannock were closed.

As for documentation to back up comments, I don’t exactly see you commenting on my article today. Whats wrong? The article is fact based and not smear and slander?

As far as trying to twist anything, I tried to quote her two distinctly different statements word for word, was I inaccurate? And no, as much as you (and Jan) wish the two statements were the same, they obviously are not. I am simply asking her for the studies and recommendations (excluding Dr. Kerr’s one man show; The Kerr Report, which under any circumstance could not be considered a study) that state that Elderton SHOULD be closed. To my knowledge, there are NONE! There are reports that list different scenarios for updating the district, but they give the district wide choices on how to proceed. If Jan knows of a study that states that Elderton SHOULD be closed, I urge her to share as I would like to read it.

And further, now that you have weighed in on the subject, exactly which report and where in it is it stated, even as a “suggestion” not an “option” that Elderton SHOULD be closed? And again, I consider the Kerr Report to be bogus; the man overstepped the limits of his job and pushed the district toward his personal agenda. And one more thing that you may want to consider,the “twisting the facts” defense when you or your cohorts post something that they cannot back up with data is becoming tiresome and appears to myself and other readers to be an all encompassing excuse. I would suggest that if you cannot back up your statements to simply say so, the readers would at least admire your honesty in that regard.

Good morning!

Once Again…..is your right hand on red and your left foot on yellow? You sure like to play twister!
I believe Jan’s comments are the same thing, phrased differently.

Dr. Kerr’s report is not the only one out there. There is documentation dating back 30 years that has been pointing to the district will have to downsize due to declining population:
The original ASD formation documents from the 1960′s, ASD Long-Range Development Plan from 1968, The Comprehensive Review of the Building Feasibility Study and Attendance Areas from 2001, the 2003 Dancu Report, the 2007 Hayes Large Facilities Study and the 2007 Armstrong Charette.

Do those studies point blank name Elderton to be closed? Some of them do as a suggestion. But they all DO point out that the district would have to downsize. So explain how you would possibly close Ford City with 600+ kids in it? Or Kittanning with 600+ kids in it? Elderton had/has 300+.