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Happy birthday to Michael Alan Hornick Jr.!

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Happy birthday to Ethan Alexander Yeninas!

Here are a few facts for consideration by the would-be facility planners of the Wilkes-Barre Area School District:From The Council of Educational Facility Planners International: &#8220;Rehabilitating older buildings reduces the need to manufacture new steel and other building materials. Historic school buildings can usually be renovated to state-of-the-art educational standards at less cost than new construction.&#8221;From &#8220;<a href="http://www.saveourlandsaveourtowns.org/renovate.html" target="_blank">Renovate or Replace</a>&#8221; (a booklet produced by the state Department of Education, the Pennsylvania School Boards Association and the Pennsylvania chapter of the American Institute of Architects): &#8220;Small schools with many grade levels make ideal neighborhood schools. Families know their children will attend a nearby school for many years. The school lends a sense of permanence to the neighborhood and helps keep it healthy. But above all, it can be a superior place to learn.&#8221;None of this is reflected in current Wilkes-Barre Area plans.Mark F. SchiowitzWilkes-Barre

Letter to the Editor: Wilkes-Barre Area’s plan neglects facts on neighborhood schools