MONTANDON -- A strong show of support from parents has fueled the movement for a local community college despite a lack of participation from Valley school districts willing to open up their classrooms for student response.
The Susquehanna Valley Community Education Project, which is trying to establish a community college for the four-county area, revealed the results of a survey Tuesday night during a steering committee meeting at the Central Susquehanna Intermediate Unit.
A majority of parents surveyed were in favor of a community college, as well as nearly all of the high school students, saying they planned to pursue post-secondary education. A little more than half of them said they were in favor of a local community college.
The downfall, according to survey officials, was that only two of the 16 school districts asked to participate chose to do so.
"A major problem occurred because only (Milton and Shikellamy) participated," said Paul Dion, a Susquehanna University business professor who led the study of interest among high school students. "The other districts either didn't get approval from their school boards in time or simply weren't interested."
Dion said the survey request was made in January. "They had four to five months to decide," he said.
Danville's vacancy drew the ire of Montour County commissioners Jack Gerst and Jerry Ward, who were in attendance.
"To have my home school district be one of the districts not participating in something directed to help our kids is embarrassing," Gerst said. "This is something that could affect a large slice of the young people in our area looking for great opportunities after high school. For them to choose not to participate, they're doing a disservice to the very group we're after."
Ward also was disappointed and vowed, along with Gerst, to get the Danville district on board for the next round of student surveys.
"This might decide whether a child continues their education or not," Ward said. "For someone who can't afford a four-year university, a two-year college can allow them to take the first step into the real world and stay here, rather than find opportunities outside the area."
Lenaire Ahlum, president of the Susquehanna Valley Community Eduction Project, said there still is time for the other school districts to participate as the nonprofit group moves toward launching a feasibility study, which is needed for the group to obtain approval from the state Department of Education to establish a community college.
"We can certainly include new data when we start the feasibility study," Ahlum said. "It will definitely help us make sure we're designing the best program to meet the needs of our community. From what we see from this survey, there is strong parental support and a clear need for more education opportunities for health care and manufacturing (workforces)."
For information on the community college initiative, including opportunities to participate, visit www.svcep.org.
n E-mail comments to jnorth@dailyitem.com.
News
Related Photos
-
Seth Hoover/The Daily Item
-
Seth Hoover/The Daily Item
-
Seth Hoover/The Daily Item
Discussion
Community college plan gets thumbs up
Survey shows support for community college idea
- News
-
-
Lewisburg schools face cuts in personnel, programs
Superintendent Mark DiRocco told the Lewisburg school board Thursday night that a proposed block grant system of school budget funding will run the district short of cash that will have to be made up through personnel and program cuts.
-
Mom: Keller's response left her cold
Like many people, Elise Nicol is concerned about Marcellus Shale and the industry's effects on Pennsylvania's environment. The Lewisburg mother of two cares about it enough that she sent an email to state Rep. Fred Keller, R-85 of Kreamer, asking him to oppose House Bill 1950, which passed the General Assembly on Wednesday.
-
Point Township authority concerned by sewer plant violations
Point Township Sewer Authority members Thursday night expressed concerns about a Feb. 3 letter sent to the Northumberland Sewer Authority by the state's Department of Environmental Protection saying that the borough authority has violated the Clean Streams Act.
-
Persing truck fee idea stalls
While Pennsylvania has passed legislation allowing communities to collect impact fees in 35 counties, Northumberland County is not one of them, and business leaders and lawmakers do not think Sunbury Mayor David Persing's plan to try to do his own version of an impact fee will pass muster.
-
Barber draws a crowd
The talk can be spirited at times, ranging from hunting to sports to home repairs. "You hear all kinds of stories," Gene Koehler, of Riverside, said Thursday as he waited for a haircut at The Masters barbershop, 209 Mill St.
-
State board approves table games at Valley Forge casino
VALLEY FORGE — A casino resort scheduled to open this spring in the Philadelphia suburb of Valley Forge has been approved for table games.
-
Doctors telling more adults: Get out and exercise
ATLANTA — A new study shows more and more U.S. adults are being told by their doctor to get off their duffs and exercise. A government survey found nearly 33 percent of adults who saw a doctor in the previous year said they were told to exercise. That was up from about 23 percent in 2000.
-
Former Northumberland County judge and three others die in Florida crash
EVERGLADES CITY, Fla. -- A former Northumberland County judge was one of four people killed Wednesday afternoon when their car collided with a van at an intersection, according to the Naples News. The victims were identified as James J. Rosini, 66, William J. Rosini, 68, Patricia C. Rosini, 65, all of Coal Township, Pa., and Deborah A. Korbich, 59, of Elysburg, Pa.
-
Warden demotes four bosses
SUNBURY -- Northumberland County Prison Warden Roy Johnson was able to trim about $135,000 in expenses by demoting four supervisors. He said Wednesday that he found a way to cut costs without laying off any staff. "I cut out 120 hours of supervisors' pay each week, but I need to fill the correction officer positions," Johnson said.
-
DJ pumps up audience
Every Tuesday evening, Richard Grogg can be found spinning tunes at possibly the most well-attended dance in Snyder County. A resident at the Selinsgrove Center since 1988, the 57-year-old said the thing he likes most about selecting and playing music is "making people happy." "Some people come up and ask for requests," he said.
-
Agency closes adult center
PENNS CREEK -- Union and Snyder County caregivers have had to look farther and wider for another program that can offer respite because the Agency on Aging can no longer afford to provide the service. The adult daily living center at the Penns Creek Adult Resource Center was a helpful program each week to about eight adults from the area dealing with Alzheimer's and dementia. But it closed Dec. 30.
-
New Berlin pushes to acquire school
NEW BERLIN -- The Borough Council sold the property where the New Berlin Elementary School is to the precursor of the Mifflinburg Area School District for $1 back in 1950. It was deeded to the district for construction of a school.
- More News Headlines
-
Lewisburg schools face cuts in personnel, programs
