Colon considers re-opening Leonidas School

Colon Community Schools officials are optimistic they will be able to work with the district’s Amish population and potentially re-open Leonidas School in the fall.

Board of education president Deb Bordner said Monday a recent meeting between district officials and a number of area Amish residents led to good discussion and renewed consideration of bringing Leonidas School back into the fold next academic year.

The dialogue stems from the board’s November meeting, when a group of more than a dozen Amish parents, led by Lee Eicher, expressed concern about the closure of Leonidas School.

Bordner said some of the matters raised during Monday’s meeting included bussing, technology, appropriately grouped students by grade and offering the form of German language most common amongst the local Amish.

Bordner said she expects to meet with the group again, likely in March, and the district will have to revisit the issue by May and make a decision about whether to re-open the school.

The district closed the K-8 building prior to the start of the current school year after enrollment slipped under 40 students.