Residents breathe sigh of relief after state’s decision
Posted on Friday, August 1, 2008
DECATUR — Residents here were finally able to breathe a sigh of relief Thursday afternoon when the State Board of Education handed down its decision to have the school district remain open, albeit under the board’s control and supervision, mirroring the decision for the Greenland School District earlier this month.
“ I have been holding my breath for about an hour. I have had lumps in my throat and butterflies in my stomach waiting on the decision, ” Vicki Smith of Centerton said.
Smith has taught special education in Decatur for 25 years, and said she was happy with the board’s decision to allow the district to remain open.
“ At least they are giving us a chance, ” Smith said.
“ My first reaction is I am disappointed because we were not in the same financial situation as Greenland, and yet they made such a drastic decision on their part, ” Ricky Perrodin of Decatur said. “ My second thought is that all things will work out for the good of the students and staff and the community if we will keep God first.
“ All these decisions that have been made are subject to change and we can improve and get out of this situation. ”
Perrodin, the physical education teacher for Decatur’s elementary and middle schools, hoped the State Board of Education would give the district an additional year to raise money and get out of debt.
“ They (the board ) went to almost the worst-case scenario, but at least they left the schools open, ” Perrodin said. “ Hopefully, it will be a shortterm engagement with the state department. ”
Perrodin said he wishes people would consider moving to Decatur and enrolling their children in the district.
“ We need to get some students to come back at $ 5, 800 a shot. People need to consider moving to Decatur and sending their kids to Decatur, ” Perrodin said, citing the community was able to raise $ 270, 000 to help save the district. “ For a poor community, that is an enormous amount of money, but that is the kind of kids we have in Decatur and that is the kind of parents we have in Decatur. ”
Pat Austin of Decatur said decision to allow the district to remain open was a victory for Decatur.
“ As long as the school is open, the community will be fine. I think the school is the backbone of the town and as long as it gets to stay open we can work the rest of the stuff out, ” Austin said.
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