William Rouse 
July 13, 1996 
William Raymond Rouse, 54, Of Mesa Oaks Circle, Austin, Texas, Died Saturday 
In Austin.

A Giant Inclination 
Big Brothers-big Sisters Stands To Benefit From Annual Hill Climb

By JENNIFER LEARN; Times Leader Staff Writer
 Sunday, July 14, 1996 &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Page: 





HAZLETON -- Some parents of A.D. Thomas Elementary School students complain
that Hazleton Area School District officials have been ignoring their concerns
about repercussions of a district-wide renovation project. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 The parents are calling for communication and common sense as officials go
forward with the $42.8 million project. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Two parents were concerned because a school principal took their children
for rides in his car to check their home addresses as part of a monitoring of
revised school boundary lines. The parents complained the principal never
sought their permission to remove children from school. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Parent John Kulig also said he was surprised when his son brought home a
letter in June saying his son will attend Hazle Elementary School instead of
A.D. Thomas in the fall. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 District officials never talked to parents in person or held a meeting to
discuss the change, why it was made, who would be affected and what will
happen in the future, Kulig said. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 District officials say 44 to 48 A.D. Thomas students will attend Hazle
Elementary next year. The remaining students will eventually attend the West
Hazleton Junior High School, which is tentatively scheduled to be expanded and
renovated into an elementary and middle school next year. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Hazle Elementary and West Hazleton Junior High are among seven schools that
are slated for expansion and renovation by the year 2000. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Kulig said such a serious change should not have been communicated to him
in a note that his son could have easily misplaced. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 He also wonders how practical it is for his son to travel to school about a
mile away at Hazle Elementary instead of A.D. Thomas, which is three blocks
from his home. Although A.D. Thomas is scheduled to be closed, students should
not be forced to move until Hazle Elementary construction is completed, Kulig
said. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 "I think something of this magnitude -- moving 44 students -- should have
been discussed with parents first," Kulig said. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Joel Kislan said he was angry to learn that A.D. Thomas Elementary
Principal Raymond Schneider drove his daughter and a few other students in his
car at the end of the school year to check the students' home addresses
without parental permission. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Schneider was trying to see if the students' homes were still located
within revised school boundaries. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Kislan said several calls he made to the school have gone unanswered. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 "Some administrators don't return calls or are rude, patronizing or no help
at all," Kislan said. "This is just another example that in this school
district in general there is very poor communication." &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Charles McAndrew was also concerned when he learned his son was taken on
the ride without his permission. McAndrew said Schneider later apologized. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 School district officials referred all questions concerning allegations of
uncooperative behavior to Superintendent Geraldine Shepperson, who was out of
town this week. District officials also have asked for understanding from the
public as the renovation project proceeds. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;

Thomas Elementary Parents Want Greater Say In Renovation `magnitude' Of Moving Students Deserves A Response, They Claim. District Asks For Patience