The Tussey Mountain School Board held a public meeting Tuesday evening to present the district’s financial situation as well as the risks and rewards of closing two elementary schools. The schools on the chopping block are Defiance and Robertsdale Elementary Schools. 

The board presented that without any action there is a projected $900,000 shortfall. They say closing both schools would save more than $800,000. Daniel Zimmerman is a teacher and has children that will go to school in the district. He is concerned that the increase in student population at Saxton-Liberty Elementary will cause class size issues. 

He explained, “Once that student-teacher ratio gets too high, students become more of a number and less than a name. That’s my main concern and why I’m involved in all this.”

The board mentioned risks they believe they’ll face if no schools are closed. These include cutting activities like band and football as well as a possibility of the state of taking over the district. As a parent of four in the district, Harry Watkins wants see control stay with the district and community. 

He said, “We’d like to maintain it here. I would like to maintain it here within our own. Someone else commented tonight that about our culture. We want to maintain our culture and our influences and preferences.”

After hearing from the board, Watkins thinks the closures are the right move. One point that he and Zimmerman agree on, is that the board should evaluate more than the immediate future.  

Watkins said, “Not only for the next few years, but for the next 10, 20, 40 years ahead. So our kids and our children, if they stay in this area and they get older, this school is here for them to come to and not somewhere else.” 

The public has 30 days to submit questions to the board. Answers will be posted on the district website. The earliest the board can vote to close both schools is July 24th.