UNIONTOWN, Pa. — For the second time this year, parents are in a battle to keep school doors open.
The Uniontown Area School District is considering a plan to close two schools.
Channel 11 spoke with several Franklin Elementary School parents who say they are ready to fight for their school again and hopefully for the last time. We also spoke with Marclay School parents who say they cannot believe another school is on the chopping block.
Students at the Franklin Elementary School in the Uniontown Area School District fought alongside their parents for months to ‘save their school’. In March, Channel 11 told you the board of directors postponed the discussion to close the school because they needed more information.
Things took a turn this week when the board of directors put out a public notice saying they will be hosting a public hearing on whether or not to close Marclay School, too, effective at the start of the 2027-2028 school year.
Now, Marclay parents are speaking out as well.
Whenever I got the call last night, he’s like, “Mom, I’m just ready to be homeschooled,” Marclay School parent Dawn Cornish said.
Cornish says her 13-year-old son is frustrated by the announcement. In June of last year, the district closed the AJ Mullen Middle School, moving the kids to Marclay. Now, if Marclay closes, the kids will move schools once again.
“He’s like, ‘I get comfortable in one place, next thing I know, we are getting pulled from that place. Different teachers, different location,’ and he says, ‘It’s not even like my home is being relocated!’”
Channel 11 reached out to the board secretary, but we have not heard back.
In the winter, the school cited financial issues as its reason to close the Franklin school.
Cornish said many Marclay parents are still wondering what happened to the $874,000 the school received after selling AJ Mullen Middle. Parents are encouraged to sign up prior to the May 27 public hearing to speak.
The public hearing for both schools will take place here inside the high school gymnasium on Wednesday.
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