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Letter to the editor/North
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North Allegheny should look to North Hills for ways to save
I am writing concerning the North Allegheny school superintendent's proposal to close Peebles Elementary School by the start of the 2013-14 academic year ("Parents Oppose Proposed Closure of Peebles," Dec. 6). North Allegheny's administration claims that closing the school will save the district $850,000 per year.
Other area school districts also are facing budget deficits. However, they are planning less drastic measures than closing schools. They are also projecting meaningful savings without disrupting the educational model.
Recently, North Hills School District's superintendent revealed his plan to stagger school start and dismissal times. His plan would reduce the number of buses by five to nine vehicles as fewer buses would make more runs to transport students. That district stands to save up to $417,000 per year by implementing this plan.
In contrast, on Nov. 28, North Allegheny's director of transportation and operations, Roger Botti, presented his plan to replace 11 buses during 2013-14 at a cost of $856,000. Additional buses also would be replaced during the following year at a cost of $871,000.
I believe that North Allegheny should take the lead of North Hills and many other school districts that are streamlining bus routes to reduce the number of vehicles.
The district can save only $850,000 of a $10 million deficit by closing a school. It makes more sense to me that buses not be replaced, which would save the same amount of money as closing a school, and keep the school open.
EILEEN RUSSELL
McCandless
First Published December 13, 2012 5:43 am
