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| District 217 Joining Reorganization Talks With Avon |
The Abingdon School Board is agreeing to send representatives from the school district to meet with the Avon School District to discuss reorganization.
The meeting date has not been scheduled yet, but it's expected to take place next month. Avon Superintendent Dan Oakley sent letters to the Abingdon, Bushnell-Prairie City, Spoon River Valley and Monmouth-Roseville school districts in October inviting them to have an open discussion about reorganization. Avon is seeing a significant drop in its enrollment.
During its October meeting, the Abingdon School Board agreed to reply to meet with Avon. The board Wednesday night discussed things Superintendent Tami Roskamp should talk about at the reorganization meeting. Roskamp says the purpose of the meeting with Avon is for introductions, talks about a feasibility study and reorganization options.
Roskamp and the board reviewed discussion goals from the 2008 District 217 board retreat and went over what they believe the benefits would be through a possible reorganization with Avon. Roskamp tells WGIL the two school districts could compliment each other nicely.
"We looked at not only expanding our curriculum but also strengthening it. We looked at our junior high extra curricular (activities), but then we started talking elementary, high school...expanding there, and as a solution for our middle school because we did close the former middle school building and so we are just using the gym there."
Roskamp says Abingdon could partner up with another school. "We could share facilities, and that would guarantee a facility-sharing in each district."
The board also looked at additional sports offerings like track and cross country, which are not available at Abingdon.
Roskamp says it should be made clear that the board is thinking about reorganization, which would not involve closing any schools and the districts would combine and share resources. She says both the Abingdon and Avon School District's are the largest employers in their respective communities, so it's important that the schools remain open. |
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| 01 14 09 by Newsroom |
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