Laurel: To a fresh start. Elizabeth Forward High School ended the 2022-23 school year on a sad note with the auditorium, band and chorus rooms out of commission following a February fire.

Those spaces are always full of activity in the final months of a school year as students bustle with production of concerts and plays. The musical “The Hunchback of Notre Dame” had to move to Thomas Jefferson School District, which also lent instruments for the marching band’s trip to perform in Florida.

With students back in the building for a new school year, the spaces are not yet available. While Superintendent Keith Konyk says 95% of the high school is “operational,” the auditorium and related space still are not functional.

However, it is encouraging that the district remains committed to arts education, with music classes continuing in other designated spaces. The damaged areas are being renovated, and, while there is no timeline, architects have been hired.

Lance: To division. A decision has not been made on who will fill a vacancy on the Norwin School Board after the death of Joanna Jordan this month.

The eight remaining board members are split into factions supporting different candidates. Emily Gindelsperger and former director Fran Bevan each received support from Christine Baverso, Alex Detschelt, Shawna Ilagan and Robert Wayman. Former director Robert Perkins was supported by Darlene Ciocca, William Essay, Raymond Kocak and Patrick Lynn.

Of the four applicants, only one received any consensus; five members agreed they did not want former Norwin High School Principal Timothy Kotch, who is running for a seat on the board in November.

The matter could come back up at the Sept. 11 meeting unless a resident petitions the Westmoreland Court of Common Pleas to decide the matter sooner — although that would actually take longer in the end.

This is exactly why governing boards have odd numbers — to prevent ties. They don’t always occur. Most votes like this happen with little fuss. But when boards devolve into power struggles, it’s the people who lose because things don’t get done.

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