MANDATA - With Line Mountain School District consolidating its three remaining elementary schools into one building starting next school year, it's time for a name change, according to the superintendent.
Dave Campbell told board members Tuesday night the district should consider renaming Trevorton Elementary School as Line Mountain Elementary School.
With the expansion of the junior/senior high school campus in Mandata to include fifth- and sixth-graders, administrators will also suggest renaming that complex from Line Mountain Junior-Senior High School to Line Mountain Middle School and Line Mountain High School.
"It's time to be Line Mountain. It's been a long, long discussion," Campbell said. "It's a whole new school district now."
Campbell said he doesn't expect any opposition to the name changes, but noted it is the right of any parent or taxpayer to voice an opinion.
Elementary School Principal Jeanne Menko said she "wholeheartedly agreed" with the name change.
"It will be a blend. It's no longer just Trevorton Elementary," she said. "We need to understand that's our new identity and that's one step in the process."
Elementary schools in Leck Kill and Dalmatia will close at the end of the school year, and all students in grades kindergarten through fourth will be housed at Trevorton, where an addition will be constructed this spring and summer. Also, as part of the $3.4 million plan, an addition will be built to the seventh- and eighth-grade wing at the junior/senior high school in Mandata to accommodate the fifth- and sixth-graders.
The current numbers for kindergarten registrants is 44, Campbell said.
Middle school principal
At this point, Menko, junior/senior high school Principal Jeffrey Roadcap and Campbell are the only three administrators for 1,285 students and 99 teachers. There has been no discussion of hiring another individual to take on the duties of a middle school principal, but Campbell expects the board to discuss it soon because the addition and consolidation project is a reality.
Menko has a salary of $74,592, Roadcap makes $82,941 and Jeff Lagerman, the high school dean of students and athletic director, earns $69,010. The salary of a middle school principal would likely be in the range of those three employees, Campbell said.
Solicitor Richard Roberts will look into whether the school board needs to vote on changing the name or administrators can move forward with the decision.
Any official decision would be made before the new school year, Campbell said.
Construction
Campbell complimented the general contractor for the project, Zartman Construction, Northumberland, for its communication and cooperation with the district.
It was also reported that the approval of the state Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) for one part of the sewer portion of the project was not yet granted.
According to Tim Lagerman, director of plant operations, DEP sent back several issues they wanted addressed, and those issues were dealt with and sent back to DEP.
"We're waiting for the final stamp of approval," he said.
Meanwhile, Zartman has begun the initial steps of the project but won't be dealing with the sewer issues until later in the year.