Horace Mann & Salamonie Middle to Close

This is sad... if they're closing schools, they're cutting employees, "repurposing" or not. This isn't "saving" anything... it's cutting. It's not "balancing the budget". it's a bandaid on a much bigger problem.

How sad to see Horace Mann close. I watched that school be built.
I attended the original building. It seems such a waste of tax money
for a school to be closed. How very, very sad.

I think closing Horace Mann was the worst decision. Lancaster would have been the best. It is an old school and will need a lot of upkeep. Those students could have been sent to Salamonie, Horace Mann, or Andrews. Now the Horace Mann students will have to go to Lincoln or Andrews which both have low academic standards. We will now have to consider sending our daughter to private schools here or in Fort Wayne in a couple of years when it is time for her to go school. We are very disappointed in the school boards decision.

I am very disappointed and discouraged at the way the Huntington School Corp. and school board is running things. I can't help but think there are better solutions than bussing kids for well over an hour to another school. And with gas prices, that can't be cheap either. Also, I'm sad for the teachers and admnistration that will lose their jobs. How is that supposed to help things? We actually transferred our son from our district to Horace Mann, because the of the way things are handled in our own school district. Luckily, he is going to middle school next year, so we don't have to deal with this yet. However, our 3 year old will probably be homeschooled because I refuse to send her to a school corporation where the kids don't matter.
I understand this is not just the current school boards problem.....the problems were created when we "had" to build 3 schools all at once. The problems come from the lack of funding from the state (and Mitch wants to president??? I don't think so!!) However, Mr. Shafer accepted a raise in a time when most people aren't getting raises, especially if in a financially bad situation..........so prove it to me, Mr. Shafer. Prove that you are concerned about my children and their education. Prove to me that you want Huntington School Corporation to be the best that it can be. Prove to me that it's not just a high paying job for you............
Huntington needs to band together and say figure something else out. Something that will actually work for the schools, students and community.
How many teachers would take a pay cut to save their jobs? How many parents would be willing to pay a little more directly to the school corporation to ensure that their children get the best education? We would. Because, that's how important it is to us.

My child has special needs and attends Horace Mann. He requires a strict routine and structure to perform to the best of his abilities. I pray to God he does not fall further behind trying to adjust to another elementary school, teachers, bus schedule, etc. I was already worried about moving up to junior high in a couple of years...now he will have to make the adjustments twice in two years. Thanks HCCSC.

This is a result of lack of money from the state, a few weeks ago I was listening to a report on the news on how the state "hands out" money to schools...its based on occupancy!!!! The school corporations with "less than full" building occupancy will not get the same amount as a school near full grade size...I might not be saying this correctly, but this is politically, has nothing to do with the kids....as you know, they don't cast a vote...but we parents do and this will not be forgotten.I live in the city and will not be sending my kids to a sub par school for a "average" education....THIS IS NOT THE RIGHT SOLUTION!!!!

The school board should have looked at cutting administrative jobs before anything else. Why does the high school need all those assistant principals? And is Mr. Grable's job really necessary? Closing Horace Mann is the right choice because ever since it was built it has had all kinds of structural problems that has cost the system alot of money. By the way, the school building does NOT make the success of the student. It is the teachers and other support staff working together as a team that makes a four- star school like Lancaster!
I do feel sorry for all the students, especially the Salamonie students, that will have VERY LONG bus rides to and from schools. That time could have been some quality family time or better yet homework time, instead of riding on the bus forever.

Cutting only $100,000 from extracurricular activities is a joke , in my opinion. We dump entirely too much money into school sports. The field house at the high school is an embarassment when we have trailers on the west side of the school that have been "temporary" since the early 90's. Focus on academics, not sports.

My children won't be returning to HCCSC.

I agree with you J.M. that the building doesn't make the 4 star school.....it is the teachers and the staff and the students AND THE PARENTS!!!! Unfortunately, there is going to be a rude awakening to these 4 star schools when they get the students who have parents that do absolutely nothing for their children or their childrens school!!! No more 4 stars......
I'm not trying to be degrading, but it is the reality of the situation!!! BTW...
Horace Mann teachers, and administration have been amazing and the parents that are involved are really involved!!!!

Hey b.e. you must not have much interest in the school because those trailers have been gone for 6 years now! Try another angle to go about your argument.