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Students Start Petition to Keep Technical School from Closing

HAZLE TOWNSHIP — The McCann Business and Technical Schools in Hazle Township and in Wilkes-Barre are set to close next year. For Brian Fuller and Stephen ...

HAZLE TOWNSHIP -- The McCann Business and Technical Schools in Hazle Township and in Wilkes-Barre are set to close next year.

For Brian Fuller and Stephen McDonough, McCann Business and Technical school near Hazleton is more than just a school -- it's home.

"I came for my tour here. Four days later, after my tour, I started class," McDonough said. "I was welcomed with open arms."

In August, the students, who are both studying industrial maintenance, found out their branch in Hazle Township and the one in Wilkes-Barre will be closing sometime next year. A spokesperson for McCann said the schools are closing because their accreditor has lost federal recognition. Fuller and McDonough have been doing all they can to keep them open.

Fuller and McDonough have been doing all they can to keep them open.

"It's important to the area," Fuller said. "I mean, look at where we are. We are in an industrial park. The school serves that industrial park well with the programs that it has. It provides us with a place to do externships."

Many of the students tell Newswatch 16 they fear they won't be able to finish their programs by the time the school closes. They also said transferring is not an option because the next closest location is in Allentown."

"It looks like I might be able to crunch my schedule (so I can finish) before they close," McDonough said. "If I can't, I'm not going to be able to graduate and our program is uniquely tailored to this area where no other school offers this program for us."

This is not the first set of McCann schools to close. About a year ago, Newswatch 16 reported on two of the schools that closed in Dickson City and in Carlisle.

Fuller and McDonough have started a petition to keep the school open. So far, it has about 450 signatures. They have also started a Facebook page.

"I'd love to see the campus stay open," Fuller said. "It serves the community well."

McCann's spokesperson said there is no set date for the school's closing yet. Fuller and McDonough said they've received emails that say it will be closing next spring.

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