Discussion and reflection: Merging the school district
When the Valley News Dispatch published an item recommending that the Leechburg Area School District should “seek out a neighboring district and merge,” members of the college composition class sat down in groups and discussed the pros and cons of such a move, along with their feelings about the education they have received in the district.
Twenty-two juniors and seniors are in the college comp class. Of the 22, six have transferred from other schools at some point during their high school careers. One senior and one junior just transferred to Leechburg this current school year. Most transfers were from significantly larger schools.
The Valley News recommendation was based solely on the fact that the district is small, “one of the smallest in southwestern Pennsylvania.” Valley News editors said that small districts, such as Leechburg, are more expensive to operate than larger districts and that smaller districts provide fewer educational opportunities.
After their group discussions, the college comp students wrote opinions about their discussion incorporating their feelings about the Valley News item with its recommendation that the Leechburg “school board do the right thing” and merge.
Junior Sam Carlson: “Merging with another district would be the best thing for Leechburg to do. Leechburg is a tight-knit community and everyone is like family to one another, but even a family this close could use a change. If we merge, so many different educational options would open up. Someone with a love for computers and technology could learn more about the types of computers through an elective. Leechburg’s merge with any school district would bring nothing but good things.”
Junior Kaylyn Zeff: “I think Leechburg merging is a bad idea. If we actually move students to another school, for one thing, the commute would be much longer. Moreover, in the actual classes, we would get much less personal attention. Having a class of 15 or 20 allows a teacher to spend one-on-one time with many, if not all, of the students. If we merge, the class sizes could double or even triple. The Valley News Dispatch claimed in an indirect way that it would be less expensive to merge. If Leechburg merged, then the district we merged with would need to buy additional textbooks and resources for Leechburg students. The money for the resources would still come from Leechburg Area taxpayers.”
Junior Sabrina Jones: “Leechburg High School manages perfectly fine on its own. The close-knit feeling this school possesses is hard to find. The one-on-one time we spend with teachers shows us to become comfortable with them and also allows us to focus on the most important thing – learning.”
Senior Victoria Oberdorf: “Leechburg should consider merging because the students do not receive any sort of preparation for college and the real world. Most of the students are babied by their teachers and coaches, and most students do not understand rejection. Since I came from a larger school district, I understand competition and how to have a work ethic, which is something the students at Leechburg do not have.”
Junior Garrett Miller: “No, Leechburg should not merge with a neighboring district. Merging with another school would be an inconvenience for the students because the commute to school would be longer. In the long run, merging would be more expensive because the new school would have to hire more staff and probably remodel. As a student at Leechburg, I feel I am getting a great education and that I am being offered enough.”
Senior Marissa Swank: “I have mixed feelings about merging schools. I like the idea of having the option of more sports and friends to choose from. At the same time, kids will get a rude awakening if they started out at Leechburg and have to start out again at a larger school. At a larger school there are also more classes to choose from, giving kids more opportunities and learning experiences. Merging with a large school would give kids more of a reality check because they will learn that things are not always handed to them.”
Junior Kiersten Horrell: “I think the decision of whether or not Leechburg should merge with another school is a difficult one. Growing up in a small school was a great experience, but it also had its limits. A small school doesn’t prepare students to be thrown out into the “real” world. Small schools restrict our ability to meet new people; they inhibit us from standing on our own. We are very babied in a small district.”
Junior Will Salem: “I believe Leechburg should not merge with another school. The close-knit community and knowing everyone in the school is something I value. Leechburg doesn’t offer every AP course but remains sufficient with other options.”
Junior Derian Sziraki: “I think Leechburg should not consider merging. I feel that I am getting a good education that’s preparing me for college. We don’t have that many classes, but the classes we do have prepare us well enough. We don’t have that many sports either, but if players started on varsity and we then merged, they might see the field for 5 minutes as a senior.”
Junior Tom Dubovi: “I do not think Leechburg should merge. We recently won back-to-back Bronze Awards for the education provided here. Students are give more personalized attention at small schools, a definite benefit over large schools.”
Senior Shawn Carney: “I think Leechburg should merge. There are so many cons about going to Leechburg. We barely have any classes to choose from, and there’s a lot of favoritism at Leechburg. It’s hard to find your true friends here – everyone acts so fake.”
Senior Gabby Dello: “I feel that Leechburg is a great school and a great place to raise a family. Many of my fellow classmates feel that Leechburg is a place where people are too close, there aren’t enough classes and sports opinions, or that there is favoritism between teachers and students. When thinking about merging – which won’t affect me – I feel that many Leechburg students will be losing out. Our community is tight knit. Everyone knows everyone, and teachers are people we can rely on and go to when a problem arises. People who complain about favoritism aren’t a teacher’s favorite and are just jealous, or maybe their complaint is an excuse why they are doing poorly. There are many pros to being a student at Leechburg. Students need to appreciate what we have here.”
Senior Kayla Oliver: “I do not feel Leechburg should merge. I think everyone wants what they don’t have. I do not think people realize how rewarding a small school and town can be. Personally, I know that a big school is not all it’s cracked up to be. I feel Leechburg gives a good education and the teachers have taught me more this year than any of the other teachers I had ever did. I feel that your education is what you put into it, and people should appreciate the benefits of a small school.”
Senior Mychal Ross: “I believe that Leechburg should indeed merge with a neighboring school district. Leechburg does not offer many AP classes and that hurts students in the long run. People are so cocky in Leechburg. They think that they are the best at the sports they play. I’m sorry to say this, but the best athlete at Leechburg could not even contend with the best athlete from Freeport or Kiski. Leechburg needs to merge with a surrounding school. I’m sick coming to school and not learning anything. I’m sorry, Leechburg, but you have to go.”
Junior Ralph Mell: “I believe Leechburg shouldn’t merge with another school district because, since Leechburg is a fairly small school, the students get to interact with the teachers more so that they can learn more about what they are doing in class. If Leechburg merges with another school district, the student body will become so large that the teacher-student communication will go down due to too many students.”
Senior Natalie DelVecchio: “The main aspect of Leechburg that I enjoy is that fact that my classes are small and I receive one-on-one time with my teachers. I’m able to stay after school and get the help I need in order to succeed. One thing that I don’t particularly care for in Leechburg is we don’t have an idea on how mid-terms and finals work. My brother tells me all the time that he never had to study in high school, and college is based on studying and relying on class discussion.”
Junior Allison Koleny: “I think that we should not merge. When you attend a small school, the teachers know you and you’re not just a number to them. Students can be involved in more clubs and sports, helping them to interact with other students and achieve important skills for life.”
Junior Brandon Ion: “I do not think we should merge because most kids learn better in smaller classrooms. Merging does offer some good, but the bad outweighs it by a lot. For sports, everyone would not make a team. There would be tryouts. A merge will not affect me, but I still don’t think it should happen.”
Senior Jen Shannon: “Although I agree with many people that Leechburg is a great place to be, I feel this school district should merge. There are many pros to attending Leechburg. However, some of the issues outweigh the pros – for example, the class options and the school’s budget. I feel that by attending Leechburg for three out of four years of my high school career, I am not properly prepared for college. Merging the school might not be a bad idea at all.”
Junior Ethan Vigna: “Leechburg should not merge. We have plenty of educational opportunities, we were ranked bronze by U.S. News and World Report, and the graduation percentage is probably higher here than it is at most schools.”
Junior Keeton Hayes: “I believe Leechburg should consider merging. If we merged, we would have more sports and educational opportunities. The social benefits would include meeting new people. Some negatives are the possibility of being a number, not a name as we are here. And there would be larger class sizes. Overall, the pros outweigh the cons.”
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