School Consolidation

Commencement exercises in May of 2008 marked the last graduating class from Eastern Heights in Agra, KS. Our youngest son was among the 15 classmates who participated in that momentous celebration. Our oldest son started kindergarten at Eastern Heights in 1989. Within a few years, concerns were being expressed about how much longer we could keep our school doors open. Naturally, the reaction was to rebel against the idea of consolidating with another school. Discussions were held with school and community members upon several different occasions. A vote was even held amongst the students who decided to keep the doors open till the end. As each school year passed, parents and kids wondered if the next year would be the last for the Eastern Heights Mustangs. In 2007, after years of fearing the inevitable, the announcement was made that the graduation class of 2008 would be the last for our school. We breathed a big sigh of relief to know that even our youngest son would graduate as a Mustang.

As with any school consolidation, various opinions were expressed. Many people were please that we had another smaller neighboring town five miles away that we could join with. Others were not fond of it due to past school rivalry and fear of how that would affect crossing county lines to consolidate. And the other little handful of people didn’t care one way or the other – mostly due to the fact they had no kids in school any more. And maybe the fear is just because of change. Change is one thing we all have to deal with in our lives even if we don’t necessarily want to. I’ve even become accustomed to dealing with change in working my online business.

Once the books were closed with “The End” for the Eastern Heights Mustangs and the Kensington Goldbugs, a new book opened starting with “In the beginning” for the Thunder Ridge Longhorns, both communities were accepting the whole consolidation idea. Work had been going on all summer to get the new school colors of silver and blue and the longhorn mascot on display so that the students and faculty could start the new school year with a sense of pride and joy in their newly consolidated school.

Of course, there are some of the kids from the former Eastern Heights district that they and/or their parents opted to attend school at the neighboring town in the opposite direction. This is totally their personal choice. However, I am proud of the ones who have chosen to attend our new school district. They are showing that even if our two towns are small, we are mighty – just as in the saying ‘United We Stand!’

Yes, there were a few tear-jerking moments during the last graduation ceremony in saying goodbye to our school. But as the guest speaker recapped the years of Eastern Heights with memories, it is as he said, “Once a Mustang, Always a Mustang!” A part of my heart will always be a Mustang because it was the system that put all four of our kids through school. But at the same time, I am finding a place in my heart for the Longhorns because they now represent our community school. Even though we don’t have any kids attending school there, maybe we will some day have grandkids that will. So in the meantime…..Go Longhorns!!!

Author: Linda Dougherty
Specializes in working with people to show them how to market effectively to earn money online.

http://www.InternetToWealth.com