Dear Editor:

This is a letter that I wrote and sent to Ms. Rosemary Porembo, superintendent of the Panther Valley School."I am writing to you because I was informed that the Panther Valley High School pool was closed. I can understand why you feel you would need to take this action since I understand there is an unpaid balance of a bill due to the school in regards to Ms. Maria Zupko.However, as a taxpayer who has benefitted greatly from using this pool to maintain good health, I think it is a shame to decide to close it.As a homeowner within the Panther Valley School District for the past 45 years, my husband and I helped build that school and pool in it through a payment of our taxes. The people of this area have a right to use that pool. There must be some way to keep this pool open.Have you considered hiring Ms. Maria Zupko to work for the school district?Any money collected through membership to the school's pool could go to the school district and not directly to Ms. Zupko. Of course, she should be compensated with a paycheck.I implore you to please keep this valued community resource open for the benefit of many people who use it and for the benefit of future individuals. People have come to rely on this pool, not just for their enjoyment, but for the purpose of maintaining the healthy well being of their bodies.B keeping the pool open, the people can pay a monthly fee to the school district. This can be a way for you to recoup your money owed.However this situation is worked out, would be for the benefit of the school district and the public to not close the pool. Closing the pool would benefit no one."This letter to Ms. Porembo was sent and signed by Mrs. Jean Ward, Coaldale, Pa.Ms. Zupko was the instructor and business owner of "Water Wellness" and for the past year rented the high school pool to teach wellness classes and swim lessons.Unfortunately she was unable to make the full payment to the school to run her business and the school shut her down. I feel she was not given enough time to build up her business and to meet the payment that the school asked for. Now the school pool is closed and this benefits no one. Ms. Zupko does not have her business, the public has no pool to go to, and the school district cannot recoup their money owed them. As I said in my letter to Ms. Porembo, shutting down the pool benefits not one. Don't you think it is a shame that Panther Valley built a school with a pool that no one will be using. Not even the school children use the pool. At the very least, the taxpayers should be allowed, for a fee, to use it. Please Panther Valley School District, "Do not close our pool."Mrs. Jean Ward120 E. Howard Ave.Coaldale, Pa. 18218