Rising City to consider DC, Shelby merger proposals
Thursday, January 28, 2010 - 12:58 am
Rising City School Board to decide future next month
The telltale signs of the end are clear for Rising City Public Schools.
Last year the School Board began entertaining proposals to merge with either David City or Shelby.
Over the summer, Superintendent Michael Derr visited David City and launched an effort to make a merger happen. Committees from the two schools met, but meetings did not result in a solid proposal.
Rising City board members reconsidered the direction after some district patrons said they wanted to consider what Shelby had to offer.
Finally, the district asked Shelby and David City school boards to send proposals again.
The Rising City School Board set out criteria for the larger districts to consider, including these main points:
Keeping an attendance center in Rising City for as long as possible, providing educational opportunities, retaining as many certified and non-certified staff as possible, providing for option students, and having board representation from the Rising City community.
Those proposals are in, and the Rising City Public School Board has a decision to make Feb. 15, Derr said.
Shelby is proposing to keep a middle school open in Rising City for as long as possible, with students being bused from Shelby.
David City proposes to keep an elementary school going in Rising City while exploring a "magnet school" concept to utilize the high school.
For the two districts' entire merger proposals, see the Jan. 28 edition of The Banner-Press.
