OBSERVER Photos by Joan Josephson Above: The 86 members of CVCS Class of 2008 celebrate their graduation Friday night. At left: Brocton Central’s graduation guest speaker U.S. Congressman Brian Higgins congratulated each graduate participating in Saturday’s ceremony.

With the words “declining enrollment” tossed around frequently at the board meetings of local schools, some are looking toward mergers as a possible solution. Westfield Academy and Central School and Ripley Central School are in the process of a merger study with consultants Lee Peters and Dan Porter of School Efficiency Services. “We have to look forward and plan for accommodating the smaller numbers or we won't be able to continue to offer the programs we do,” Superintendent Mark Sissel said. “If this merger is the way to do it then I am all for it.” Westfield's enrollment has been steadily dropping the last five years, going from 951 students in 2003 to 877 in 2005 to only 813 in 2007. The number of seniors graduating each year has fluctuated without much of a pattern, however. Last year, 69 students graduated. Ten years ago, 62 graduated; in 1988, 54 graduated and in 1978, 90 students graduated. “The lower numbers are being seen as children enter kindergarten,” Sissel said. “W