Keeping Edison, Losing Woodruff?
By: Bret Lemoine - WMBD/WYZZ TV
Updated: February 6, 2009
WMBD/WYZZ TV –
It will cost the district nearly 9-hundred thousand dollars
a year to operate. "Money" is the
word of the night for the school board.
Talks of deficits and short-falls brought out hundreds of parents and
students... another issue that got people fired up tonight also involved money...
Tonight is the first board meeting since the district
unveiled plans to get out of debt. One
of the biggest decisions that could go before the board is closing
School spirit is taking on a whole new meaning for Woodruff High
students... Hundreds filled Tuesdays school board meeting to protest District
150's proposal to merge Woodruff with Peoria High.
Parents and students spoke for nearly 2 hours... Many gave
emotional pleas to save their school.
Last week, the district revealed plans to compensate for a 9-million
dollar short-fall for the up-coming school year. The district also faces a
4-and-a-half million dollar deficit for this school year. There are proposals to close other schools
and ax certain programs, but none have been met with such anger as the possible
closing of woodruff. It's a move the
district has targeted as it's biggest cost-saving measure.
Some wonder why the district didn't discuss this issue with
parents, staff and students.
Superintendent Ken Hinton says those talks are coming... And school
board President Dave Gorenz says the district has been open about their intent
from the beginning -- it's just the economy changed quickly, and caused a
tremendous debt for 150.
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