Pennsylvania district would close 1 elementary, reconfigure others

The Shaler Area (Pennsylvania) School District is considering a plan to close its school that houses grades four through six, but some parents say they need more answers.

WPXI-TV reports that district leaders presented its "Build for Tomorrow" facilities plan this week to the public.

The plan calls for closing Shaler Area Elementary School in Glenshaw and redistributing students to other district campuses.

Fourth and fifth graders would be reassigned to existing primary schools — Burchfield, Marzolf, Reserve, and Scott Elementary — where they would join kindergarten through third grade students.

Sixth graders would move to Shaler Area Middle School, which already is home to seventh and eighth graders.

High school students in grades nine through 12 would not be affected.

Declining enrollment over the last decade has persuaded district officials to propose the facility changes. More community presentations and conversations with the school board and state are scheduled before the board decides whether to go through with the changes

If approved, the proposal would not go into effect until 2027.