I am well aware of the fact that this is a public school. I pay my property taxes.

Wondering-I am not implying anything about or against any of the staff in orfordville or footville. I simply do not see how we can think we can just FIT another class of each grade into a school(s) that to my knowledge already have full classrooms. As far as the staff at Newark goes, if we don't have the extra classrooms to fill how can we add more staff without additional payroll & building costs that it would take to make room for the additional students? I have to agree with NewarkMom in that it just doesn't make sense to leave a perfectly good school set empty while adding additional costs to cut it out.

RE: Newark School.
Have you thought of the time and money spent with support staff driving to and from Newark?
How about the music programs and the special speakers or programs. What about meal transport.
It would be nice to go to a small private school.
This is a public school.

My concern is the fact that the other schools are not big enough and classrooms would need to be added to accommodate the students from Newark. This would mean more money to add on to the schools in Orfordville and Footville while a perfectly good school would be sitting empty. Doesn't make sense to me.

NewarkMom - Would you feel the same - your children would be getting the best possible education - if Newark closed and your children had to attend in Orfordville or Footville? Or due to the concerns brought to light by think_it_through_1st, which you agree with, would you move them to a different school district if Newark closed?

think_it_through_1st - Do you know the longest amount of time students from the other buildings spend on their bus rides? The visual of a student arriving at a school that could not house them is disturbing. Are you suggesting the school board would be incompetent enough to let that happen? Another disturbing visual, a student with "a highly stressed out teacher because her class size was too large to manage or give a quality education." Are you implying that teachers in the other buildings are any less competent and professional to handle larger classroom sizes than the Newark teachers that go above and beyond? Since you brought it up can you please tell me what state quidelines are for class sizes at the levels that Newark currently houses? What specific referendum items have been purchased led by the PTO? How exactly would closing Newark hurt a Orfordville or Footville student?

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I was taught to walk a mile in someone's shoes before you judge. I say, don't judge unless you have been elected to the bench.

counrykidsrock - Why do your students deserve a more individual or a more one-on-one education over students in the other buildings? When you say you "would not imagine sending my kids so far out of the way to get less individual education" you seem to imply staff in the other buildings are incompetent in some way. Are they? If Newark would close, would not those teachers move into positions created in the other buildings? Or are you implying they are so superior they would not fit with their colleagues that offer less individual educations? If Newark were to close, would the PTO members and parents be unwilling to offer their support to classrooms in other buildings of the district?

An outsider just wondering.

I couldn't agree more think_it_through_1st. As a parent with children at Newark I have seen first hand the great things that have been accomplished with our outstanding staff, and the PTO. Let's continue to keep putting our children first and make sure they get the best possible education available.

It is frustrating when people use an uneducated thought process when it comes to decision making. Everyone always has a quick answer or a quic fix! gallon76 - How would you feel if your 4 - 10 year old had to get up at 6am or so to ride a bus for an hour and a half or more, to go to school everyday? Then when they got to school there would be no room for them or a highly stressed out teacher because her class size was too large to manage or give a quality education? Do you know how hard the PTO works to provide things for Newark School? Some of the items that are on the referendum have been purchased for Newark already by the fundraising efforts of the families of Newark throught the PTO. These things are obtainable if the efforts are made by the community as a whole. It takes a village to raise a child. It's too bad that too many people have a "What's in it for me" attitude all the time. At the highest suggested tax increas of $54 a year that would mean giving up going out to lunch once a month ($4.50). Many of us spend much more than that. Suggesting to close Newark does not make sense at all. It would hurt the children of the Parkview district as a whole. PS - My mother always taught me to put myself in the other persons shoes first before judging. Let's give that a try. Thank you Newark Staff for always going above and beyond for our kids!

I really can't believe in this time that anyone with the kids in mind would want to eliminate a country school! I truly feel Newark is a great school & would not imagine sending my kids so far out of the way to get less individual education! Yes,we are a small school but I truly feel our kids benefit from that! They get more one on one attention and I really can't see how it can cost any of us THAT MUCH MORE since we would obviously have to add more teachers to orfordville AND footville (if they can even support that number of students in thier space)to support the number of kids that would be added...YES it would add one whole other class to each grade as MOST of our classes are full at Newark. I aqm very proud to have my kids go to Newark & have no complaints AT ALL about thier elementary education...in fact I think the teachers do a great job!!!!! I of course have not seen any numbers to support the economic end of this discussion so perhaps I need to be educated in that aspect before making these comments but I DO KNOW that we have a very supportive PTO & parental staff that enjoys the school

Joe Schmo
No I didn't go to Parkview, but my kids did. Closing Newark does not punish the kids. Your right the education is next to none at the school. Years ago when they had the new high school referendum it did not pass. I ask the principal at that time if they were going to bring back the vocational classed that were eliminated if it passed and the answer was no so I voted no. If they want money close Newark and they will have some.

gallon-
Did you attend Parkview? I understand that you feel Newark should be closed...But why punish the students? I am embarassed of my education that I received from Parkview, and the facilities are in much need of repair. Not to mention the lack of technology. Anywho, just give it a thought, the kids are our future...

All they have to do in order to get a referendum passed is to close Newark. They spend way too much money at that school when they don't have to. There is no doubt that they have room for the Newark kids in Footville and Orfordville. I will vote NO on all referendums until they close Newark and there is nobody on earth that is going to talk me into anything different.