Selinsgrove school board holds hearing on $17.2M project
Hearing held on Selinsgrove Elementary expansion
By Marcia Moore
The Daily Item
SELINSGROVE -- After four years and three studies, the Selinsgrove Area School District is embarking on a $17.2 million project that will remodel the Selinsgrove Elementary into a school for children in kindergarten through second grade.
"This is the culmination of four years of dreams," superintendent Frederick Johnson said to a small crowd of mostly staff members who attended Monday night's public hearing.
An Act 34 hearing had to be held since new proposed additions exceed 20 percent of the existing building.
Mark Barnhardt, senior vice president of EI Associates, a Harrisburg architectural engineering consultant, outlined the project that will include a new two-story wing with 10 additional classrooms, a new 600-seat gymnasium, additional parking and separate student drop-off for buses and cars.
When the work is completed in 2009, the 45-year-old school will more than double in size, to 86,400 square feet, to accommodate 200 kindergarten students now being taught at Jackson-Penn Elementary.
The district plans to pay for the renovation with an 18-year bond issue. The state will reimburse the district an estimated $6.17 million, or 18.7 percent of the cost.
Another multi-million dollar renovation project is being considered by the district as a result of favorable state reimbursements.
Mr. Johnson said the board is mulling $10 million in upgrades at the high school, 50 percent of which the state would cover.
At the public hearing, most of the comments concerned the proposed elementary school gymnasium with collapsible bleachers.
Mr. Johnson pointed out that the gym would only be used by the K-2 students during the school day, but could be used by the public or other students after hours.
Several elementary teachers were mostly worried about how small children would navigate the bleachers.
"I think we'd hoped for a large-group instruction area as opposed to herding them into bleachers," first-grade teacher Pam Moyer said.
Mr. Barnhardt said the issue would be reviewed with the school board, but noted that most Pennsylvania elementary schools with a student population of 500 or more have large gymnasiums.
During the board meeting that followed the hearing, the directors unanimously approved hiring a technical support specialist at an annual cost of $43,787, including salary and benefits. The vote took place following a seven-minute executive session.
Paul Spiegel Jr., chairman of the technology committee, said the new position was suggested due to the increased use and complexity of the district's technology.
"The workload and dependency has grown," he said, and a third employee is needed in the area of technical support.
Mr. Spiegel said there was money available to cover the new position.
Board member Cindy O'Hora supported the new hire, but recommended the board consider the "whole issue of tech support when we consider adding new technology."
E-mail comments to mmoore@dailyitem.com.
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Hearing held on Selinsgrove Elementary expansion
By Marcia Moore
The Daily Item
SELINSGROVE -- After four years and three studies, the Selinsgrove Area School District is embarking on a $17.2 million project that will remodel the Selinsgrove Elementary into a school for children in kindergarten through second grade.
"This is the culmination of four years of dreams," superintendent Frederick Johnson said to a small crowd of mostly staff members who attended Monday night's public hearing.
An Act 34 hearing had to be held since new proposed additions exceed 20 percent of the existing building.
Mark Barnhardt, senior vice president of EI Associates, a Harrisburg architectural engineering consultant, outlined the project that will include a new two-story wing with 10 additional classrooms, a new 600-seat gymnasium, additional parking and separate student drop-off for buses and cars.
When the work is completed in 2009, the 45-year-old school will more than double in size, to 86,400 square feet, to accommodate 200 kindergarten students now being taught at Jackson-Penn Elementary.
The district plans to pay for the renovation with an 18-year bond issue. The state will reimburse the district an estimated $6.17 million, or 18.7 percent of the cost.
Another multi-million dollar renovation project is being considered by the district as a result of favorable state reimbursements.
Mr. Johnson said the board is mulling $10 million in upgrades at the high school, 50 percent of which the state would cover.
At the public hearing, most of the comments concerned the proposed elementary school gymnasium with collapsible bleachers.
Mr. Johnson pointed out that the gym would only be used by the K-2 students during the school day, but could be used by the public or other students after hours.
Several elementary teachers were mostly worried about how small children would navigate the bleachers.
"I think we'd hoped for a large-group instruction area as opposed to herding them into bleachers," first-grade teacher Pam Moyer said.
Mr. Barnhardt said the issue would be reviewed with the school board, but noted that most Pennsylvania elementary schools with a student population of 500 or more have large gymnasiums.
During the board meeting that followed the hearing, the directors unanimously approved hiring a technical support specialist at an annual cost of $43,787, including salary and benefits. The vote took place following a seven-minute executive session.
Paul Spiegel Jr., chairman of the technology committee, said the new position was suggested due to the increased use and complexity of the district's technology.
"The workload and dependency has grown," he said, and a third employee is needed in the area of technical support.
Mr. Spiegel said there was money available to cover the new position.
Board member Cindy O'Hora supported the new hire, but recommended the board consider the "whole issue of tech support when we consider adding new technology."
E-mail comments to mmoore@dailyitem.com.
Back
