Three of seven elementary schools in the DuBois Area Pa District will close later this year

Pennsylvania district is closing 3 of its 7 elementary schools

April 6, 2017

Student numbers in the Du Bois Area District have fallen steadily in the last 15 years.

Low enrollment and financial woes have prompted the DuBois Area (Pa.) School Board to permanently close three of its seven elementary schools.

The Courier-Express reports that board members voted to close Luthersburg, Penfield and Sykesville Elementary Schools at the end of the school year.

The district will reassign Penfield students to Oklahoma and Juniata elementary schools in DuBois, Sykesville students to C.G. Johnson Elementary in Reynoldsville, and Luthersburg to Wasson Elementary in DuBois.

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Enrollment in the Du Bois Area district has declined steady since 2001

“We are talking about a total reconfiguration of all elementary schools due to declining enrollment,” says Board President Patty Fish. “This reconfiguration affects not only our finances but long-term maintenance of our buildings, evening out our classroom numbers across the district with a goal of 18 to 24 (not 30 to 40) children in a classroom instead of currently 10 in some and 28 in others."

Enrollment in the district has declined nearly 25 percent in the last 15 years—from 4,845 students in 2001 to 3,675 in 2016.