Letter to the Editor, The Pittsburgh Tribune-Review, January 15, 2013
In September, North Allegheny School District parents attended school board meetings to express concern over a proposal to close Peebles Elementary. Board President Maureen Grosheider scolded residents, saying only a threat of school closure made parents pay attention.
The board was presented with 1,000-plus signatures asking for a task force to allow residents to help tackle the district‘s $10 million projected 2013-14 deficit prior to closing a school ($850,000 savings). Espe Elementary closed in 1999 — only after the district received input from a 36-member community group.
Parents delivered a 30-page analysis to the board outlining reasons against a school closure. Did Ms. Grosheider listen? During the presentation, she refused to open her copy of the report.
Now Grosheider and her hand-picked New York superintendent, Raymond Gualtieri, have a choice: Do they listen to the hundreds of parents attending meetings? Or does only their opinion matter?
In the face of community opposition, a comprehensive study and evidence of flawed data, Grosheider seems determined to close Peebles. Why? Maybe because her school in Bradford Woods is in need of renovation ($8 million to $14 million) and only a year ago was targeted for closure. It appears that a plan to save her own school by closing another is under way.
John Harrison II
McCandless
save NA schools 
You hit the nail on the head, John!
WHY isn’t the Board & Administration REALLY reading the logical report provided by SaveNASchools, especially when the team of SaveNASchools has done extensive research for FREE?
Quite frankly, as a taxpayer, I expect MORE from the Board & Administration that are supposed to represent my children. Maybe it’s time for a change.
The people who were elected by us, to listen to us and be our voice, are blatently hiding information from us and ignoring us……there is no MAYBE about it, Lynn !!!! CLEARLY, we need change starting right at the top! I hope people are paying attention and get out to vote for people who will listen and respond with cooperation and good faith for our entire district !! It is disgraceful what is going on here!