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Scranton School Board Approves Sending McNichols, Kennedy Students to West Scranton

SCRANTON, Pa. — It’s been less than two weeks since the Scranton School Board met to pass its approved balanced budget for 2018, but apparently, peo...

SCRANTON, Pa. -- It's been less than two weeks since the Scranton School Board met to pass its approved balanced budget for 2018, but apparently, people still wanted to talk about it at West Scranton Intermediate School.

Despite the fact the board was expected to vote on whether to send students from two elementary schools to West Scranton High School instead of Scranton High School, those who spoke only wanted to beg the board reconsider cuts to programs and the furlough of 51 teachers. That was included in the budget which passed on March 28.

“My daughter is probably one of the top students in seventh grade at Northeast, and I'm worried about her education and about the program she's going to be afforded to because she is smarter,” said parent Lottie Olson.

“I ask that the board do everything in its power between now and the start of the year to eliminate those furloughs,” said Matt Loftus with the Scranton Federation of Teachers. “The students in this district need and deserve all of the programs that we currently offer and we need them to run at full capacity.”

It seemed that no one was concerned the board was voting to change the designated high school for McNichols Plaza and Kennedy Elementary from Scranton to West Scranton.

District officials say Scranton High School is 50 students away from being at capacity, and overcrowding is an unavoidable issue if something isn't done.

In the end, the board approved sending students from those two elementary schools to West Scranton High School in an effort to direct student population away from Scranton High School.

The new high school designation for those two elementary schools takes effect this fall.

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