BELLEVILLE — Two years after Belleville and Hillcrest school districts consolidated into Republic County School District, leaders are looking to merge again.

Discussions have begun with the Scandia-Courtland — Pike Valley School District — communities to join with Republic County in the summer of 2009, said Republic County Superintendent Troy Damman.

“We are strictly making the efforts in the best interests of the students,” he said.

Issues that plague these rural districts and others include teacher shortages, especially with a number of faculty approaching retirement age, and continued declining enrollment, he said. Pike Valley currently has 245 students and Republic County has 503, Damman said.

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