SUNBURY – In light of plans to stop using of the Grace S. Beck Elementary school for Shikellamy classes, a mandated hearing was held at the Shikellamy High School Tuesday evening.
Officials said the Beck school is an old building but it is still in great condition, and the plan is to use the building for district administrative offices, twelve preschool classrooms and rental space for the CSIU. There were several members of the public present but they did not offer remarks or ask questions.
Without the closure of Beck school, the board said district would be bankrupt within the next three years. If that happens, the district said they’ll have to curtail non-essential activities, sports, art and music classes, electives and there will be significant increase in class size.
No decisions were made at the hearing and there will not be any decisions made for another three months. It is likely that the approval and decisions will be made in the 2021-2022 school year.
The hearing lasted about ten minutes followed by a school board meeting. The district plans to shutter Beck school as a class building, expand the Chief Shikellamy Elementary School and sell the district’s administration building on Packer Island.
