Monday took me back to a familiar place-- Ringtown, where residents are trying to save their elementary school. The North Schuylkill school board wants to close Ringtown Area Elementary and send the kids to North Schuylkill Elementary near Ashland.
This is a tough one. North Schuylkill Elementary is only one year old. It has all new stuff, and a student population of about 900.
Ringtown is close and intimate. It is one of the last of the neighborhood schools, and I can understand why the people in town want to keep it.
Some may argue the kids will do better socially in the environment of the larger school. I'm not sure about that. Kids adapt pretty quickly. I went from a small high school to a college with a few thousand students. It was strange at first. I adapted. It can be done.
I just hope the adults who make all the decisions do right by the kids. Of course, money will be a factor, but it shouldn't be the only factor.
