Two Liverpool schools could close

By: Kat De Maria

The Liverpool school superintendent called it one of the most difficult nights of his career. Dr. Richard Johns outlined his 2010-2011 budget proposal to a standing room crowd anxious to hear how he intends to make up a projected $10.3 million shortfall. As our Kat De Maria tells us, Dr. Johns proposed a number of measures, including cuts of 130 jobs and the closing of Wetzel Road Elementary.

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LIVERPOOL, N.Y. -- Save my school. That's the sentiment that brought most of these hundreds of people out to hear the Liverpool school superintendent's budget presentation Monday.

Some families have been in the Wetzel Road community for years.

"I'd really like my fifth grader to be able to end her career in elementary school in sixth grade over there and not go to a new school," said parent Frieda Mayer-Allen.

Others are new, but just as proud of their elementary school.

"They've settled in so well. To actually have them leave again is just heartbreaking," said parent Ranelle Bovenzi.

As expected, one of Dr. Richard Johns' proposals for next year is to close Wetzel Road.

"I don't understand how just closing Wetzel is going to be the solution to all of the problems," said Mayer-Allen.

As Dr. Johns went on to make clear, it's not. He's also proposing a one percent tax increase and cuts of 130 jobs, including 85 teachers and teaching assistants.

"We're very empathetic with the people we're laying off, in many cases, young families and people who are going to find it tough in this economic time to find another jobs. But we're also going to have to discover ways of doing what we do better and more efficiently," said Johns.

Part of that, he suggested, is breaking Liverpool High School into academies, using the Wetzel building and possibly, in the future, also the Morgan Road building.

"We think that one of the things we can do by dividing the high school into academies is we can make people pay attention to each other and be responsible for each other and know more about each other," Johns said.

The questions came immediately.

What are the academies? Why are the cuts so heavily affecting teachers? Can Liverpool Elementary be sacrificed to save Wetzel Road?

Now things for the Liverpool school board to consider as it takes up the budget over the coming weeks.

The Liverpool school board has until April 6th to consider and pass its 2010-2011 budget.