A new option has emerged for study as the Conneaut School District, facing declining enrolment and stagnant revenues, that of keeping both Conneaut Lake Schools open and in use as they are now K - 6 and 7 - 12.

Calling it an East/West Option, CL resident Jennifer Bryer presented the option to members of the Conneaut School board when the directors met in regular session on Wednesday.

The school directors, in forming committees from the public, school administration and teachers, and board members are covering 4 areas: budget, facilities use, transportation and curriculum.

Option 1 is to use Conneaut Lake and Conneaut Valley High Schools as middle schools, Linesville High School as a senior high and keep the three elementaries; Option 2 is a North-South setup, closing Lake High and all others remain open; Option 3 is a K - 2 school at Linesville Schafer School, use Lake and Valley High Schools as grades 3 - 8 and Linesville as a senior high, while closing Lake and Valley Elementaries; Option 4 is use Linesville's two schools as grades 9 - 12, Valley and Lake High Schools as K - 8 grades; closing Lake and Valley Elementaries; and Option 5 is to leave all buildings as they are used now.

The Lake group is suggesting an East-West Option that would use all buildings except Conneaut Valley High School with Lake and Linesville High Schools serving as grades 7 - 12 buildings and keeping the three elementaries open for K - 6.

The Lake group points out that 47% of tax revenues come from the Lake area, 34% from Linesville area, and 18% from Conneaut Valley area. They say if a school closure occurred at Lake it could - could, not would - equate to a 15% drop in property revenue as homes in the Lake area might fall in value. They say the Valley HS could be marketed as a subsidized income housing, elderly housing, offices, etc.

They indicate they support the idea of consolidation, pointing out the future of the district is based on maintaining or increasing funding, adding if it were not for this fact, they would not even be discussing these drastic cuts.

The Lake group, at its own meeting, has discussed ideas from pulling out of the district to joining with nearby Jamestown. To leave a school district as currently set, the state Department of Education would have to approve though such are usually approved for strong educational issues. Pulling out would also mean taking part of the school's debt with them.

Conneaut Lake's Garth Prebor, whose wife is a teacher in the district, said he supported Bryer's comments and thanked the board for their openness.

George Wallace of the Conneaut Valley area told board members that there were things to help solve school district money problems including addressing district salaries, removing all pay from coaches saying he coaches because he wants to, not to get paid, to lower the heat in winter and introduce Pay to Play - an idea that students/families pay the cost for a student playing a sport.

Kelly Thayer, a Linesville High School graduate and student in college, indicated she supported a one high school plan as there would be more classes for students to take, maybe even AP [Advanced Placement] classes.

Vincent Pisani of the Conneaut Lake area told school directors that sports tail wag the dog. He asked, in assessing fault for students not being able to write their names, only print, that all should look in the mirror for the guilty ones. He railed against schools not teaching handwriting and that all in the room were at fault. He urged changes start right here in Crawford County. - See School page 2

School - from page 2

Ron Gerber of the East Fallowfield area, also thanked the board for its openness and said the number one reason for the school plans is saving money, that changes needed to be made to save money and closing schools saves money.

Noting Conneaut Lake pays the most money, he also suggested looking at the CL area joining Jamestown. He suggested cutting all sports in the schools, saying not everyone is for sports. He said Jamestown cut all support for elementary school activities and suggested taking a look at labor costs and health plans.