Hempfield officials defend middle school consolidation as community awaits February vote

Hempfield Area officials defended the district’s proposal to permanently close Harrold Middle School at the final public meeting before the school board will vote on the plan in February.

About 70 people attended Monday’s board meeting, many of them to speak out against the plan. Parents raised concerns over transportation, student-teacher ratios, home values and a perceived lack of transparency from the district.

As proposed, the plan would permanently close Harrold and consolidate sixth, seventh and eighth grade students into the Wendover and West Hempfield middle schools beginning in the 2023-24 academic year. The district would then use Harrold to house ninth graders during the high school revitalization project.

“Closing a middle school is a big decision,” Superintendent Tammy Wolicki said. “It’s a big change, and it does affect families. … We aren’t making this recommendation lightly.”

Before public comment, Wolicki explained the plan with others involved in the district’s renovation project, including SitelogIQ Vice President Michael Arnold, Core Architects principal architect Ryan Pierce and Harrold Principal Jason Lochner.

Lochner, who has served as Harrold principal for 12 years, said the middle school’s enrollment has declined by about 100 students in his time there. This has led to a decline in teaching staff, he said.

District officials have pointed to declining enrollment as a catalyst for reorganization: Over the past 30 years, Hempfield’s enrollment has decreased by about 30%. Hempfield is the only district of its size in the state with more than two middle schools, according to the district.

Pierce stressed how consolidation could benefit the high school revitalization project. If ninth graders couldn’t use Harrold, they likely would be housed in trailers, and the project would take an additional year, he said.

“Putting students in trailers has a serious negative impact on learning” Pierce said. “Putting an entire grade into this building instead will allow them to have a real school to go to as they come into high school.”

The district also estimates it would save between $25 million and $32 million through the consolidation, as the 101-year-old Harrold building is in need of renovations.

About 800 people have signed a petition against consolidation.

“I think this is enough to demonstrate people care,” said parent Erin Johns Speese, who referenced the number of parents who signed the petition and attended the meeting.

The board will vote on the plan in February. The district will continue to upload more information about the project on its website.