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SILVER LAKE - While several small children played quietly on the floor near their parents, petitions were signed and funds were raised against the possibility of closing the Silver Lake elementary school.
Unlike last month's Save Our Schools meeting sponsored by the Parent Teacher Organization, Thursday night's meeting was conducted by a committee composed of citizens Gene England, Becky Thomas, Lisa McCoy and Jeff Dotson. In October Warsaw school board members Roy Szymanski and Chuck Sauders attended the meeting. They were not present last night.
The issue of the school closing came from a Warsaw Community Schools Board project report completed earlier this year. The $17,000 report, among other things, cited the cost of educating the 166 students who attend the school, the substandard handicapped accessibility of the facility and the goal of achieving better equity in educational programs, staffing services and facilities.
As a group, the more than 90 citizens who came to the SOS meeting didn't find the report's recommendations valid reasons to close down their educational institution.
Kathy Lokotar, PTO vice president, said $712 has been raised to cover printing and other costs incurred with the SOS project through donations and T-shirt and button sales. She said an alumnus will match as much as $1,000.
Thomas conducted the meeting, saying she has grandchildren attending Silver Lake Elementary, where she also went to school.
Thomas, a former Silver Lake cheerleader, asked who wanted to keep the school in Silver Lake and the gymnasium erupted with applause and whistles.
The group was advised the WCS board plans to hold its next meeting in the gym Nov. 20, to hear the concerns of the Lake Township residents regarding the school.
The success stories profiled in a recent issue of Preservationist magazine about refurbished schools in Kokomo, Mishawaka, Evansville and Cannelton were mentioned.
McCoy, an attorney, said her family settled in Silver Lake expressly so her children could attend the school. She said her son's attendance at a large school in Indianapolis "just wasn't working."
The population of the town of Silver Lake is scheduled to double within the next year from 528 people to more than 1,000, with the annexation of lake area residents.
Lokotar wrote down questions and observations brought up during the 1-1/2 hour session that will be presented to the school board. These include:
• Costs per student per day at Jefferson Elementary were only $100 more than at Silver Lake Elementary. A citizen asked how much more would additions to the bus fleet and drivers cost the corporation if students were to be bused to Claypool Elementary? Those in attendance wanted to know what would happen to the teachers if Claypool and Silver Lake students were taught together. They said the safety problems at the overpass on Ind. 15 at CR 700S would increase.
• It was noted the building takes 67 seconds to evacuate compared to the more than three minutes to empty the high school in case of emergency.
• The state fire marshal has found nothing wrong with the facility.
• There are fears that the town will founder if the school is abandoned. Sidney was given as an example of a community that lost its vitality after the school was closed.
• The relationships between students and teachers were said to be exemplary with the educators knowing each child and their family.
"When you know about a family and its problems, you create a tolerant, caring and safe environment," Thomas said. "You can be reassured the staff, from the principal to the cook or teacher, are going to care and there are fewer discipline problems.
• Raising and educating children with a sense of belonging to a community was an issue raised more than once during the evening.
• It was noted the building has been paid off for many years and it belongs to the township.
• It was noted that school boards in Chicago, New York and California are returning to small, community-based schools.
• No one wanted their small children waiting at a curb for the bus at 6:30 a.m.
• Concerned citizens were asked to attend the Nov. 20 meeting to voice their concerns. It was noted that a public lawsuit citing arbitrary, capricious spending could be filed if the school board decided to close the school. Those in attendance were advised to contact Roy Szymanski, their school board representative, about keeping the school open.
Volunteers were asked to come forward to carry out a door-to-door petition-signing drive and to contact Dotson, 352-2818, for more information.
