Elementary school in Baden could be closing its doors; petition created to save school

BADEN, Pa. — Nestled in the middle of Beaver County community is a neighborhood school.

“We are a minute away, it’s a small school with very small class sizes. I’ve gotten to know all the teachers and the students,” said Brittani Hysong.

Hysong has a kindergartner and first grader who go to State Street Elementary School in the Ambridge School District. It’s those qualities of the school that moved her family to Baden and now it all could be changing.

“First thing that went through my mind was why. Like why this has been working for so many years,” Hysong said.

That is the reaction from hundreds of parents in the district as the school board is considering closing the school permanently.

“They want to completely close State Street and they want to make Highland K-2 and Economy 3-5,” Hysong said.

The school board president told Channel 11 that the board will vote on Wednesday night for a public hearing later this month to discuss the closure, but parents are already planning to take their concerns to the board now.

“The distance it’s not like we are a mile or two miles between elementary schools. We are talking nine miles that’s 20 minutes of drive time for some of these parents who will have kids in both elementary schools,” Hysong said.

From longer bus rides to bigger class sizes, the list of concerns is growing. Hundreds have already signed an online petition asking the board to reconsider.

“If they need to come with other ideas for finances or whatever the motive is for this, please come up with something else. We love our state street elementary school, and all the other elementary schools love their neighborhood schools and we don’t want to lose that,” Hysong said.

The school board said a vote to close State Street can’t take place for at least three months after the public hearing so they believe there will be plenty of time for research and community input.

A petition has been started to save the school; click HERE to read it.

Masks optional at Montour High School for two week trial period

©2022 Cox Media Group