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Letter to the Editor: Join Boy Scouts for self-improvement and adventure, says Laurel Run youth

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Contractor makes quick work razing condemned row homes in Wilkes-Barre

<p>WILKES-BARRE &#8212; Save Our School representatives finally met with members of the Wilkes-Barre Area School District Monday and emerged feeling that, while some key questions remain unanswered, the meeting was a big step in building public trust in district construction plans.</p><p>&#8220;We&#8217;ve been saying for a year now that there needs to be a dialogue between the school district and the community,&#8221; Attorney Joe Borland said during a Tuesday meeting with the Times Leader Opinion Board, &#8220;Hopefully, this opened that dialogue, but it needs to be continuous.&#8221;</p><p>Borland and Borland law office has served as headquarters &#8212; at least on incorporation papers and as far as the U.S. Post Office is concerned &#8212; for Save Our Schools, even as Borland and his parents have, at times, worked independent of the group formed from opposition to high school consolidation plans.</p><p>Representative from SOS met with board president Joe Caffrey, vice president Denise Thomas, and member Shawn Walker for nearly four hours Monday at the district administration office, SOS member Dr. Mark Schiowitz said.</p><p>The board is moving forward with a plan to consolidate grades 9-12 from Meyers and Coughlin high schools into a new building at the Coughlin site, expand Kistler Elementary to house grades seven and eight from Meyers, and either lease or buy and renovate the Times Leader building on North Main Street, abutting Coughlin property, to serve as additional classroom space and possible administrative office space.</p><p>The SOS members got a chance to present their alternative plan to the three board members Monday, as well as to representatives from the architecture and engineering firms hired as the district &#8220;design team&#8221; and Brian Costello, who will become district superintendent at the end of August when Bernard Prevuznak retires.</p><p>Schiowitz said the board promised to let the group present its plan to the rest of the board at the Aug. 9 public meeting.</p><p>The SOS plan calls for constructing a smaller new high school on or near property housing the Solomon/Plains campus, with likely acquisition of neighboring property, and renovating Meyers and GAR high schools over time. There would be no expansion at Kistler or acquisition of the Times Leader building.</p><p>Schiowitz repeated his argument that smaller high schools are better for students and the community. He also argued the district could readily move to a system with three high schools housing grades seven through 12 and the remaining schools housing kindergarten through sixth.</p><p>While the board increasingly has discussed a K-8 and 9-12 arrangement, Schiowitz noted the current plan would create some K-6 schools and other K-8 schools. &#8220;It seems pretty K-otic,&#8221; he quipped.</p><p>SOS President Richard Holodick noted the consolidated school would force more students to ride a bus to school and, for low-income families, &#8220;It&#8217;s very important to be able to walk to events in the school.&#8221;</p><p>Several SOS members said they left Monday&#8217;s meeting with questions still unanswered, including explanation of the need for seismic bracing if Meyers is renovated. The district&#8217;s design team has said renovations on the building are so extensive such bracing would be required under building codes, but SOS members counter that nearby buildings were renovated without bracing.</p><p>&#8220;I think it&#8217;s a question that deserves a better answer,&#8221; Dave Wilson, an architect and SOS member, said Tuesday. &#8220;I&#8217;m not an expert, but it doesn&#8217;t smell right to me.&#8221;</p><p>Borland and Schiowitz also said there is no clear proof the consolidation will save money over time, as the board has promised.</p><p>Still, all agreed the meeting with the board was worthwhile, with caveats.</p><p>&#8220;It was fairly cordial,&#8221; Borland said. &#8220;It&#8217;s the best thing we&#8217;ve had in this process yet.&#8221;</p><p>&#8220;I worry it&#8217;s too little too late,&#8221; Wilson conceded.</p><p>As long as the two sides continue talking, Borland said public faith in whatever the board does should strengthen, even if the three-high school system ultimately does not survive.</p><p>&#8220;If it&#8217;s not the three-high school system, the people in this room will still be fighting just as hard to make sure the new school benefits the students,&#8221; Borland said.</p><p>&#8220;You can&#8217;t always let the perfect be the enemy of the good.&#8221;</p><style>
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<div class="neCaption">Dr. Mark Schiowitz, right, talks during the Save Our Schools Power Point presentation with the Times Leader Editorial Board on Tuesday. Looking on are SOS board members David Wilson, far left, and Atty.  Joe Borland. (Pete G. Wilcox|Times Leader)</div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo0>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/07/web1_sos.jpg</photo0><caption0>Dr. Mark Schiowitz, right, talks during the Save Our Schools Power Point presentation with the Times Leader Editorial Board on Tuesday. Looking on are SOS board members David Wilson, far left, and Atty.  Joe Borland. (Pete G. Wilcox|Times Leader)</caption0><photoCredit0>Pete G. Wilcox | Times Leader </photoCredit0></div><div class="neFile"><img class="neImage" src="https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/07/web1_sos01.jpg">
<div class="neCaption">Joe Borland </div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo1>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/07/web1_sos01.jpg</photo1><caption1>Joe Borland </caption1><photoCredit1>Pete G. Wilcox | Times Leader </photoCredit1></div><div class="neFile"><img class="neImage" src="https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/07/web1_sos02.jpg">
<div class="neCaption">David Wilson </div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo2>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/07/web1_sos02.jpg</photo2><caption2>David Wilson </caption2><photoCredit2>Pete G. Wilcox | Times Leader </photoCredit2></div><div class="neFile"><img class="neImage" src="https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/07/web1_sos03.jpg">
<div class="neCaption">Richard Holodick </div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo3>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/07/web1_sos03.jpg</photo3><caption3>Richard Holodick </caption3><photoCredit3>Pete G. Wilcox | Times Leader </photoCredit3></div><div class="neFile"><img class="neImage" src="https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/07/web1_sos04.jpg">
<div class="neCaption">Dr. Mark Schiowitz </div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo4>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/07/web1_sos04.jpg</photo4><caption4>Dr. Mark Schiowitz </caption4><photoCredit4>Pete G. Wilcox | Times Leader </photoCredit4></div></div>
<div class="metaInfo"><bylineMeta><p>By Mark Guydish</p><p>mguydish@www.timesleader.com</p></bylineMeta></div><div class="metaInfo"><shirttailMeta><p>Reach Mark Guydish at 570-991-6112 or on Twitter @TLMarkGuydish</p></shirttailMeta></div>

Thawing relations: SOS group meets with Wilkes-Barre Area School Board members