PLUM, Pa. — For a second straight night, crowds of parents and students attended the Plum Borough School District’s board meeting to demand answers about the sudden decision to close an elementary school.
During Monday’s meeting, school board members accepted the resignation of one of two high school teachers facing charges for allegedly having a sexual relationship with a student.
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The board accepted the resignation of Jason Cooper, who had been suspended without pay since February.
The board also decided to move forward with hiring for teacher Joseph Ruggieri’s position. Ruggieri, also accused of having a sexual relationship with a student, has yet to submit his resignation and has been suspended without pay since February.
In regard to teacher Drew Zoldak, who is accused of witness intimidation, the board announced plans to seek a long-term substitute teacher.
Meanwhile, protesters demanded accountability from school board members and wanted the district to continue to move forward with building a new elementary school.Regency Park Elementary was closed at the end of the 2014-2015 school year. Parents said the board had promised to build a new elementary school at the same location, but backed away from the original plan Monday and has intentions of closing the school altogether.
"This is about the kids, about the property values, about people's homes,” parent Dave Wolf said. “It's not a Democrat or Republican. This is what this is about."
However, at Tuesday night’s meeting, it appeared the board appeared to be reconsidering the popular option to move the 300 students back to Regency with plans to eventually build a new school.
“We didn't want a new school. You forced our hand. Now we need to renovate or rebuild,” parent Mike Fisher said.
School board member Michelle Stepnick proposed Tuesday night that Regency be reopened, while the board figures out what to do.
The costs to build a new school would be the same as renovating the existing Regency building, according to board members.
Plum School Board President Sal Colella, though, insisted that any talk of a new building or renovation should be left up to voters in the form of a ballot question.
But for parents whose children are in limbo - not knowing which school they'll attend - they just want answers.
“You need to leave our school open. It is an amazing school,” parent Melissa Schimmer said.
If a new school construction project is proposed, a lot has to happen before work begins, including a hearing based on the scope and cost of the project.
School board members estimated the price tag to be conservatively about $13 million.
Channel 11's Joe Holden reported that the school board is set to meet again in two weeks.
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