The Jenkins School is preparing to be uprooted after a 38-year relationship with Millersville University and the Millersville community.
Teacher Kate Mansfield leads a prekindergarten class Friday at The Jenkins School.
The Jenkins School, which always called the MU campus home, is expected to move to a new location in 2
...(more)
The move will happen at the end of this school year. So far, school officials have been unable to find a new site.
The Jenkins School educates about 100 prekindergarten through kindergarten children.
School board President Scott Bibus estimates 20 students are children of Millersville faculty, staff and students. The remainder come primarily from neighboring communities in the county.
The university is reclaiming its space in Stayer Hall on West Cottage Avenue. As that progresses, there are increasing concerns about safety and security at The Jenkins School.
The school was founded in 1970 as an educational aide for teaching students at Millersville University. It was under university control until 1998.
Since 1999, the university has leased space to The Jenkins School, which has its own board of directors.
"In September 2007, we were told in the first board meeting of the new school year," about the need to move, Bibus said.
"They were disappointed, but I don't think surprised," said Roger Bruszewski, vice president for finance and administration of Millersville University.
"They also told us that they might be able to do something," Bibus said.
"I really thought I'd be able to find space for them," Burszewski said, "but I just can't."
In March, Bruszewski met with school officials and gave them a letter, again saying the school must move by July 1, 2009.
School officials told parents about the move at an open house earlier this month.
The board delayed notifying parents, hoping it would be able to announce a new location at the same time.
Parents have been understanding, Bailey said. "They're helping," she said. "We have a task force that they're signing up for. ... They're sad, but they're helping."
The board almost sealed a deal with Mountville to lease the former Mountville Elementary School building, said Mark Andrews, treasurer of board.
The problem with the Mountville location was timing, Bibus said.
When the letter came from the university, "That really hit us, because it was about the same time that we thought we had this Mountville school and it didn't work out," Andrews said.
Bruszewski said the university might be able to accommodate a slight adjustment to its timetable. But only if The Jenkins School makes a deal for a new location soon.
That's because construction and the temporary relocation of some facilities are being scheduled for $73 million of major renovations and expansion set to begin next summer, said Bruszewski.
The 7,500 square foot space occupied by the school will be used as "surge space" by temporarily housing library archives, for example.
"We need to get in there by July 1," he said.
The university doesn't have other space available for the school, he said. "We are at 107 percent of capacity."
"We're disappointed. Certainly we'd like to have something on campus," said Bibus.
He added, "We still want to be involved with the university."
Intercollegiate athletics, including locker rooms, have already moved into parts of Stayer Hall. Keeping college students and children separated is challenging because some doors must stay unlocked for fire safety.
Bailey, Bibus and Bruszewski say this presents a security problem for The Jenkins School.
"We'd really like to stay in Millersville, but if that would not be possible, we'd like to stay in a five-mile radius because we have a relationship with Penn Manor schools and the university," Bailey said.
"I think we're probably going to look a little further than that, because time is not on our side," Andrews said.
"While we expect that this great little school will survive and continue to thrive," he said, "it's a sad day for those who know the wonderful, and at times cutting edge, shared history with Millersville University and The Jenkins School."
Jeannette Scott is a Sunday News staff writer. Contact her at jscott@lnpnews.com or at 291-8689.
(479)
