Salem school supporters meet tonight

The Salem Community Club has been reserved for a 7 o’clock meeting tonight of those who support making an effort to reverse the school board’s decision to close the Tamassee-Salem Middle/High School.  A man with ties to both Tamassee-Salem and to Walhalla says his sympathies are with those who are about to lose their school.  Brad Norton lives in Tamassee, serves as Salem town attorney, but his wife teaches at Walhalla High and his ldren are educated at Walhalla.  In an interview with 101.7/WGOG NEWS, Norton says the Oconee School District has missed a unique opportunity afforded by a small school in a small town.  He believes the school should be showcased as an example of how a small school can provide a quality of education to the kinds of students who might not thrive in a larger setting.  Norton believes the first-year Walhalla High is a top notch school, but its large size doesn’t necessarily lend itself well to the type of student who can benefit from a small setting.  Chairman Andy Inabinet of the county trustees has repeatedly said the decision to close Tamassee-Salem is no reflection on the school, its success in educating students, the faculty, or the community. The trustees, Inabinet says, have instructed Superintendent Thorsland to work toward making the district one of the top ten in the state and are determined to balance their budget.  By closing the school, district officials say, 750 thousand a year can be saved.