Atty. Peter Butera, the vice president of the Wyoming Area School Board of Education, shook things up last week when he proposed a study merging Wyoming Area with another school district.
Maybe shaking things up is a bit mild—it was more like an explosion—and the bombshell happened at the end of a board meeting, leaving co-board members’ jaws dropping.
Now, if you know Peter’s history, he’s not afraid to shake things up, and I, for one, applaud his courage to bring up such a bold move or what many in Greater Pittston would think is an impossible task.
I have mentioned in at least six past My Corner, Your Corner column over the last few years, a merger should be considered.
Sure, growing up on the west side, you have to bleed gold, green and white, but for me, I have most of my father’s family on the east side. I really was more neutral when it came down to it. I rooted for Pittston Area in sports games, except for rival games, naturally.
Since I’ve been working in the newspaper industry, well over 25 years, I stopped thinking of east side and west side, I started thinking of the two as one, better known as Greater Pittston.
More times than not, many organization call themselves The Greater Pittston whatever.
The is The Greater Pittston Chamber of Commerce, Greater Pittston Regional Ambulance, Greater Pittston Historical Society, Greater Pittston Food Pantry, Meals on Wheels of Greater Pittston, Greater Pittston Friendly Sons of St. Patrick, Greater Pittston Santa Squad, well, you get the idea.
Why not a school district of strength in numbers uniting the two school districts?
I spoke to City of Pittston Mayor Michael Lombardo, and he’s all in for a merger. According to the Mayor, there could be a lot of financial gains from the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.
Mayor Mike believes Gov. Shapiro and PA Sen. Marty Flynn would be all in, and he’s even betting on the state throwing in incentive money for a merger.
This idea of a merger between PA and WA is something Mike has been thinking about for many years and believes some of the board members on both side of the river would be open to such a merger.
Mayor Lombardo even has some ideas if a merger occurs. For example, one stadium could be eliminated and when extra funds the state could kick in, the other stadium could be enclosed making a true indoor sports facilities.
You can have an indoor track, football field, soccer field, and lacrosse field. With winters as harsh as ours can be in Greater Pittston, an indoor facility could work.
The Mayor also believes a state-of-the-art pool facilities could be built, eliminating both the WA and PA pools. The costs involved in running a pool 365 days a year sucks the life out of any budget.
There would be no need to build a new school. Both Pittston Area and Wyoming Area have large enough schools that a realignment of sorts could be established.
Wyoming Area could sell Montgomery Ave and Tenth Street Schools, which, by the way, would make great housing facilities.
Pittston Area has great sports fields at Hughestown, so no need to build new parks. Perhaps a 10-tennis court facility could be built somewhere, freeing up space at Mattei School and at Boston Ave., in West Pittston.
Sports teams could be powerhouses. The talent pool on both sides of the river would produce dynamite sports teams.
Unlike the last big merger in the fall of 1966, coaches had a hard time trying to field team lineups having no idea what athletic pool each town supported.
That wouldn’t be the case today; so many of the athletes participate in travel ball or leagues that many from both schools play on the same travel ball team.
That is a huge advantage when fielding school sports teams.
Athletically, each school has something to offer. For example, each district has from sports programs that may be suffering. Pittston Area has a history of have a successful basketball program; Wyoming Area has been excelling in football and field hockey. Pittston Area had success in baseball.
Again, you get the idea regarding sports.
Academically, Pittston Area has turned the tide and their national testing scores have risen while Wyoming Area’s have dipped, of course testing scores could change from year to year. If together, a solid academic plan could be reached.
Both districts have a lot to offer and I believe discussions on a merger should not be looked down upon. It’s been spoken about, rumored, and thought about for years, perhaps this is the time to be bold, think outside the box and move forward with a study on a merger.
That study is something possibly the state could pay for in the end.
I’m sure there will be resistance on what to name the new school district, what the mascot would be, or the school colors, and I believe the benefits to merging might be outweighed by those things mentioned.
Greater Pittston-Wyoming Area could work.
Quotes of the Week
“A school merger is more than a structural change — it’s a commitment to giving students access to broader programs, peers and perspectives.” —Dr. Lisa Monroe, Education Policy Analyst
“When schools merge, so do their strengths. Collaboration replaces competition, and students become the ultimate winners.” —Dr. Sandra Mitchell, Educational Leadership expert
Thought of the Week
“Efficiency without sacrifice — merging schools can reduce costs while expanding academic and extracurricular opportunities.” —National School Boards Association
Bumper Sticker
“Change begins when we open our minds — not to what we lose, but to all that we might gain.” —Educational Reform Coalition
