By Emma Rausch
emma@thepaperofwabash.com
WABASH COUNTY – Nearly 100 Wabash County citizens were in attendance Monday night, Aug. 15, at the MSD of Wabash County public forum at Northfield High School, many prepared with questions and comments about the Board’s plans to combat declining enrollment.
Although the forum was originally advertised as multiple small group discussions, the Board expanded the evening to include an open discussion section and a short presentation, which included information about the possible reconfiguration plan as well as other options the Board had explored prior to its initial decision. The presentation also provided a shuttle bus concept as a possible busing option for reconfiguring the Northfield and Southwood schools into one.
“Before we begin, I’d like to say that a lot of us would like to turn the clock back,” Superintendent Mike Keaffaber said. “There have been mistakes made and we apologize for that, but one thing I learned yesterday, and I probably need to give credit to my pastor, but his sermon yesterday talked about hard times and in hard times, there are two ways we can react to things. We can be a student or we can be a victim. “In this particular case, we want to be a student. We know as students we make mistakes and we try to correct those mistakes and learn from that, and so that’s what we’re doing tonight.”
During the open discussion, citizens broached concerns about lengthy bus rides and minimizing the “shuffling” of students throughout the district as well requesting that the Board consider all options on the table, including consolidation. Board members emphasized that the outcome of the discussions will be to create a more efficient MSD of Wabash County school district.
Listen to the full public forum’s audio here: