NEW CASTLE HIGH Officials consider yard sale

Usable items will be distributed to other schools in the district.
By LAURE CIOFFI
VINDICATOR NEW CASTLE BUREAU
NEW CASTLE, Pa. -- Anyone wanting some memorabilia from the old New Castle High School might get their chance to buy it.
Superintendent George Gabriel said they are considering having a yard sale for any items that can't be used in other district schools.
He said maintenance director George Gregg is going through the building and tagging items that are in good shape. Gabriel said some things have already been moved, including two refrigerators from home economics classrooms that have gone to two elementary schools in the district.
The district built a new education wing adjacent to the old school and it is furnished with new computers, desks and other items. That building opened last week. The old school is set to be razed sometime next month after all of the asbestos is removed.
Gabriel said anything not taken for the other schools or sold will be demolished with the building.
No stealing
Rumors of people stealing from the building are untrue, he said.
Gabriel said teachers were told to tag items that they have personally bought for their rooms. The superintendent said other things were taken from the building, but have been returned. He thinks there was some miscommunication with teachers about the items.
"Teachers are strange animals. [Among the items returned] was a chair that a teacher used for 20 to 25 years and it had some sentimental value," Gabriel said.
Gabriel said reusable items are being taken to the district's storage facility near Ben Franklin Junior High School and will eventually be distributed to other buildings.
He said a number of nonprofit organizations have made requests for desks and chairs and he plans to ask the school board to consider those requests at next months meeting.
And the general public will also have its chance for some high school items.
"We do plan to have some type of giant yard sale. I don't think we are legally able to give things away because these items were bought with public money, but things will be priced fairly," he said.