Many at hearing oppose plan to close Laurel Valley school

I wish there was an unlimited pot of money so the Lauel Valley school could stay open. There is not. Let's work together to make the Ligonier School the best it can be.

Come on now... OBAMA lied to get into office, and looks what happened. The Ligonier Valley School Board lied to get into office, and look whats happening. Pretty obvious how money is taking over the world. Laurel Valley and Ligonier are like oil and water.... They don't mix; no matter how hard you stir the pot, they will NEVER mix! Did you you ever hear the expression "Never kick a sleeping dog!" ??? That's the only thing that happened here!

Resident of Bolivar wrote:

Come on now... OBAMA lied to get into office, and looks what happened. The Ligonier Valley School Board lied to get into office, and look whats happening. Pretty obvious how money is taking over the world. Laurel Valley and Ligonier are like oil and water.... They don't mix; no matter how hard you stir the pot, they will NEVER mix! Did you you ever hear the expression "Never kick a sleeping dog!" ??? That's the only thing that happened here!

Who lied to get into office> Why don't Ligonier Valley and Laurel Valley mix? Why all the venom and hatred? What did Ligonier Valley do to you?

RESIDENT OF LIGONIER wrote:

THE PARENTS ARE THE PROBLEM WITH THIS MERGER KEEP TELLING THE KIDS HOW MUCH WE HATE EACH OTHER AND SOME DAY THEY WILL THINK LIKE THAT.

Well said. The kids get along fine. They already do in soccer, track, and cross-country. I'm looking forward to a united football program.

Resident of Bolivar wrote:

The Ligonier Valley School Board lied to get into office

Sorry not true. The voters were well educated on which person stood for consolidation and which one stood for a merger.

givepeaceachance wrote:

<quoted text>Who lied to get into office> Why don't Ligonier Valley and Laurel Valley mix? Why all the venom and hatred? What did Ligonier Valley do to you?

Ligonier was told they will save money over this consolidation. That is the lie. It was admitted during the public hearing that this merger in fact will not save any money, it will only desiganate money to go toward other items. And if the money issue is admittedly not the reason for the merger, then what is the reason? The only benefit I saw from the proposal was that now the kids from both schools will have a small amount of other classes to choose from in their schedules. Not a good trade for the long dangerous bus ride.

I can not explain the rivalry between the two schools. It is a different rivalry than Laurel Valley and United is all I know. It just seems that an adequate amount of Ligonier people have shown no respect for Laurel Valley over the years.(Especially people like the owner of the Ramada who said "Laurel Valley is a private school who is siphoning money from Ligonier.") Don't get me wrong, I do get along with many from Ligonier and I think Ligonier is a GREAT town, but I still do not see this being the best option for the kids or the parents.

So. Again it is a handful of people who are making trouble and misrepresenting entire towns. In all the blogs about this, I have yet to see anyone come up with a viable and resonable solution.

I'm just blowing off steam. I just need a few days to accept this and then I will work toward making the merger work. Given all the problems of the world, this is small potatoes.

Resident of Bolivar wrote:

I'm just blowing off steam. I just need a few days to accept this and then I will work toward making the merger work. Given all the problems of the world, this is small potatoes.

For the record... this was not posted by the original "Resident of Bolivar". Nice try tho. But time will tell how this will work. Would just like to have it as painless as possible.

For the record... this was not posted by the original "Resident of Bolivar". Time will tell how this will clock.

Resident of Bolivar wrote:

For the record... this was not posted by the original "Resident of Bolivar". Time will tell how this will clock.

resident of fairfield, sorry guys all the venom and hate has snowballed,its not right and adults shouldnt act this way,that said everyone needs to truly walk in anothers shoes,would you be doing cartwheels if school board was going to send your kids here?i was initally kinda happy about consolidation till i started reading things lig people were saying and i was really angry and hurt and shocked i do a lot in lig(you should see my parking tickets)and couldnt believe people feel the way they do about us(laurel valley) may be itll get better once everybody simmers down

b baird wrote:

<quoted text>resident of fairfield, sorry guys all the venom and hate has snowballed,its not right and adults shouldnt act this way,that said everyone needs to truly walk in anothers shoes,would you be doing cartwheels if school board was going to send your kids here?i was initally kinda happy about consolidation till i started reading things lig people were saying and i was really angry and hurt and shocked i do a lot in lig(you should see my parking tickets)and couldnt believe people feel the way they do about us(laurel valley) may be itll get better once everybody simmers down

I wish you would be specific! What "things" are Lig people saying that are upsetting you? Why are you getting parking tickets?

givepeaceachance wrote:

In all the blogs about this, I have yet to see anyone come up with a viable and resonable solution.

I have also read a lot of blogs and talked to a lot of people about this issue...and one viable option I hear mentioned a lot is closing Ligonier's middle school and folding the students from the middle school into the 2 remaining schools in Ligonier. Some people seem to very opposed to this saying that while there is enough room for the students there is no room to make the current high school into a middle high school like Laurel Valley. No matter which option is chosen Ligonier High School will have to add onto the building and make some further improvements to the property from what I've heard. However I really do think it could work---and would solve some of the other problems I've heard and read about. What the school board did not tell residents of the district is that consolidation as it is being presented would actually COST each district family (I believe)$83!!!

blynnek wrote:

<quoted text>
I have also read a lot of blogs and talked to a lot of people about this issue...and one viable option I hear mentioned a lot is closing Ligonier's middle school and folding the students from the middle school into the 2 remaining schools in Ligonier. Some people seem to very opposed to this saying that while there is enough room for the students there is no room to make the current high school into a middle high school like Laurel Valley. No matter which option is chosen Ligonier High School will have to add onto the building and make some further improvements to the property from what I've heard. However I really do think it could work---and would solve some of the other problems I've heard and read about. What the school board did not tell residents of the district is that consolidation as it is being presented would actually COST each district family (I believe)$83!!!

Maybe you should do some real research instead of merely relying on what you've 'heard'.....because much of what you've 'heard' is bullsh1t.$83 per resident??? What genius mathematician dreamed that up??

Banacek wrote:

<quoted text>
Maybe you should do some real research instead of merely relying on what you've 'heard'.....because much of what you've 'heard' is bullsh1t.$83 per resident??? What genius mathematician dreamed that up??

Alleged $1.3 million "savings"--see newspaper articles regarding what the school board stated could be saved(or it may have been cost) divided by number of district residents=$83. Basic math. As to who is full of bull...please explain the two widely divergent sets of figures given in the Warner Group study and Dr. Oldham's power point presentation earlier this year and/or state which set is correct and why...I've studied both and without knowing how the figures were arrived at or which areas were used to determine maximum student capacity (as an example) it is nearly impossible to deteremine who is right and who is wrong.

blynnek wrote:

<quoted text>Alleged $1.3 million "savings"--see newspaper articles regarding what the school board stated could be saved(or it may have been cost) divided by number of district residents=$83. Basic math. As to who is full of bull...please explain the two widely divergent sets of figures given in the Warner Group study and Dr. Oldham's power point presentation earlier this year and/or state which set is correct and why...I've studied both and without knowing how the figures were arrived at or which areas were used to determine maximum student capacity (as an example) it is nearly impossible to deteremine who is right and who is wrong.

Just double checked an article that appeared in yesterday's Pittsburgh Tribune-Review---An article there states "Directors say consolidating the middle and high schools will save upward of $1.2 million annually." ("Laurel Valley group to challenge any decision to close school" by Jewels Phraner of The Ligonier Echo)Check the article for yourself at www.pittsburghlive.com .

Banacek wrote:

<quoted text>
Maybe you should do some real research instead of merely relying on what you've 'heard'.....because much of what you've 'heard' is bullsh1t.$83 per resident??? What genius mathematician dreamed that up??

And speaking of research--double check my 1st post--I stated it was an alleged savings of $83 per district FAMILY not per person in the district.

blynnek wrote:

<quoted text>And speaking of research--double check my 1st post--I stated it was an alleged savings of $83 per district FAMILY not per person in the district.

Whatever it is, it's pure unsubstantiated hooey. I don't care if it's family or individual.....it's BS. Do some research and think for yourself. You're embarrassing yourself.

Banacek wrote:

<quoted text>
Whatever it is, it's pure unsubstantiated hooey. I don't care if it's family or individual.....it's BS. Do some research and think for yourself. You're embarrassing yourself.

I've already done the research--perhaps you'd like to do it for yourself to doublecheck the figures...for stated savings check school board minutes and newspaper accounts where school board members are quoted...educational/school related data check PDE (Web address: www.pde.state.pa.us )...and the state website (state.pa.us) for census data--and do the math yourself if you are so much more intelligent than others. That way YOU don't embarrass yourself.