LEMONT - The State College Area School District held a public hearing Monday on the closure of Lemont Elementary School.
The school has been apart of the district for over seven decades and the losing the building comes as a concern for some residents.
The board's current plan is to shut down Lemont Elementary and combine it with Houserville Elementary School, which would put kindergarten through fifth-grade into a new building they would construct near Houserville.
Seen outside Lemont Elementary School on Monday was Joey Clark, a recent State College High graduate, who spent the evening taking graduation photos with his family.
"This is where it all started for me," said Clark. "I love all my teachers over the years, I have so many memories here, it's sad to know it's all going to be gone."
It was a bittersweet moment for Clark, who knows that soon the halls of his elementary school will soon be permanently empty, and the building could be demolished. It's disturbing news to nearby residents as well.
"It's an absolute mistake," said Ron Smith, who has lived in Lemont for several decades. "This is right next to the historic district of Lemont and this is one of the historic buildings. They just want to get rid of it because it's old but it's the most beautiful building in the school district."
The board however, says merging the two schools could be better for students and administration.
We had families that were split with one kid in one school and one kid in another, we also had a principal running back and fourth between the two buildings," said Ed Poprik on Monday, the director of physical plant for the district. "It made sense to combine them into one bigger newer building."
Many teachers said they like the idea of a new and bigger building, even though it could mean the loss of a historic one.
It's unfortunate, but necessary," said Candice Smith, who has been a teacher for the district for several decades. "Lemont Elementary is a beautiful school but it is not adequate for the way we teach today."
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