Board's vote to close school has parents considering options

One board member noted other areas where cuts can be made.
& lt;a href=mailto:denise_dick@vindy.com & gt;By DENISE DICK & lt;/a & gt;
VINDICATOR TRUMBULL STAFF
WARREN -- Some parents say they'll send their children to other school districts since the school board voted to close McKinley Elementary at year's end because of a looming deficit.
"The schools here aren't stable," said Jennifer Greathouse, whose two children attend the school.
Pati Yauger, another parent, also is considering changing school systems.
"We're looking into other options with private schools, other school districts or putting a for sale sign in my yard," she said.
Greathouse, Yauger and others urged board members not to close any school buildings until the new buildings are built for the Ohio School Facilities Commission project.
"Show this community that our children come first," Greathouse said.
But board members voted 4-1 to close the school at the end of the year, saying it would save about $2.2 million.
Superintendent Betty J. English pointed to a projected $4 million deficit by 2007 that would grow to $17 million by 2008 if cuts aren't made.
Nedra Bowen, board vice president, cast the only dissenting vote. A retired teacher, Bowen said she lived through the closure of West Junior High School and knows the difficulties it causes.
"I still believe cuts can be made other places," she said.
Her no vote drew applause from the crowd of about 20 people who attended the special board meeting Monday. Many of the attendees gathered outside the board office before the meeting, holding picket signs urging the district to keep McKinley open.
After the meeting, Bowen listed administrators and personal expenses, such as travel and food allowances on trips, as places where costs could be trimmed. She declined to identify specific administrators.
Recent hire
The board's hiring last week of a communications director for the district also was a bone of contention among some parents. Dawn Marzano will earn about $61,000 in the first year of the three-year contract.
English said the position, which is to run through the school building project, was vacant for two years.
During community meetings on the OSFC project to build new schools, attendees were told that part of the money in the bond issue could be used for personnel needed for the project, English said.
The district formerly employed both a communications director and a secretary for that director. The roughly $61,000 salary is less than what those two people were paid.
Edward Bolino, board member, who attended McKinley, said he didn't want to close it.
"Cuts are going to have to be made across the board, and we're routing through them," he said. "Everyone is going to have to suffer."
Robert L. Faulkner Sr., another board member, said school closures are emotional events and require emotional decisions.
"We make our decisions based on the students," he said. "We make it with you in mind although it may not seem like it right now," he said.
denise_ & lt;a href=mailto:denise_dick@vindy.com & gt;denise_dick@vindy.com & lt;/a & gt;