More School Renovations Could Be Forthcoming
Armstrong School District Board Director Stan Berdell talks with District Business Manager Sam Kirk following the latest district facilities study - when L.R Kimball engineers reported several upgrades and issues at Elderton and Shannock Valley elementary schools.
by Jonathan Weaver
L.R. Kimball engineers were back in the Armstrong School District board room for the first time since Armstrong Junior/Senior High School was completed and reported that some “eastern” elementary schools are in need of repairs or consolidation.
Senior Project Manager Diane Glarrow said the construction options were made as part of the district-wide facilities study revealed last night.
While West Shamokin Junior/Senior High in Rural Valley is in “excellent” condition, conditions worsened as engineers studied Dayton, Elderton and Shannock Valley elementary schools.
Minor upgrades to Dayton Elementary (including a school-wide air conditioning system and security vestibule) are necessary, but more work is needed at Dayton and Elderton schools.
Burrow said none of the schools pose immediate health or safety risk, but board directors should think about upgrades since State plans take about a year.
Engineers detailed window and mechanical upgrades that are needed at Shannock Valley, as well as some accessibility issues.
Accessibility and mechanical issues also present themselves at Elderton Elementary, but the biggest hurdle comes as district officials must heat the entire building – including the former junior/senior high portion that was closed after the 2011-12 school year.
“Right now, the way it’s configured, the boiler room is in the far corner in the basement of that massive building, so the whole building has to be heated in order to keep the elementary school heated,” Glarrow said. “So, the energy efficiency is really not there.”
To improve efficiency, engineers brainstormed Armstrong can renovate both Elderton and Shannock Valley and demolish the former junior/senior high school portion, close the two schools and build a new elementary on current wetlands near West Shamokin or close Shannock Valley and move students to Elderton or Dayton once renovations are complete.
If the final option is considered, engineers estimated about 200 students would move to Dayton and 150 to Elderton once Elderton renovations are complete.
Moving students from Shannock Valley would keep both schools under Pennsylvania Department of Education’s enrollment capacity.
While all of the options pose millions of dollars in cost and pros and cons, operational savings would be seen within 20 years.
Glarrow said a handful of engineers inspected each school during the past six to eight months. Options were not presented in an order of preference.
“And there probably are a few other options that we could develop, but this gives the school district something to think about,” Glarrow said.
Region III Board Director Stan Berdell said elected officials have known about issues at Dayton, Elderton and Shannock Valley.
“There has to be some tough decisions made,” Berdell said. “There certainly is a lot to be considered in all of this.
“I think the Board needs to commit ourselves and put a really solid plan together.”
Burrow and District Business Manager Sam Kirk praised district maintenance personnel for maintaining the buildings while the state owes Armstrong millions of dollars in PlanCon construction reimbursement.
“From the financial side of it, I could not recommend doing a project without PlanCon money,” Kirk said. “That doesn’t mean (board directors) can’t plan.”
Classroom additions to Shannock Valley Elementary were last completed in 1974. Elderton Elementary was renovated in 1980.
Money has been set aside for any repairs needed at either school
School Board President Joseph Close, Board Vice-President Chris Choncek and Solicitor Lee Price explained that the facilities study was necessary to even consider renovations.
“We really had to draw a line in the sand and find out where we’re at with these facilities. I think it really speaks to the need for a long-range strategic plan in the district,” Choncek said. “It’s very evident that the eastern-side needs some attention and I think an overall district strategic plan would help us get there, provide a pretty good road map.”
Choncek agreed with Kirk it would be “completely irresponsible” to proceed without state financial answers.
District Superintendent Chris DeVivo said discussions should be “ongoing” until a plan is finalized.
Engineers found the three elementary and intermediate schools that feed into Armstrong Junior/Senior High School in “excellent” condition.
The previous facilities study was completed during the 2012 school year
According to the Pennsylvania Department of Education, enrollment at all district schools (which this year totaled more than 5,100) is below capacity.
L.R. Kimball has also completed facility studies in “quite a few” other school districts, such as Altoona and Brownsville.
Senior Project Manager Diane Glarrow presented the facilities study results to school board directors during last night’s regular monthly meeting at West Hills Intermediate.
Armstrong School District | jweaver May 10, 2016
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By savvynewshound, May 10, 2016 @ 7:39 AM
close, consolidate, and cut.
By ktown_kid, May 10, 2016 @ 8:11 AM
Did everyone think the spending was over? Come on now folks, these clowns are on a mission to tax you right out the door of your house. For what they wasted on the new school and it’s far from finished, they could of renovated the schools and saved money.
By logcabinlover, May 10, 2016 @ 8:20 AM
Why is it that the “eastern” side of the school district is always the last to be considered for improvement? Did anyone catch that the other elementary schools are in “excellent condition” while Dayton, Shannock and Elderton elementary schools are left to fall apart? 1974 and 1980 since the last renovation really????? Are those kids just as important as those at West Hills and Lenape? We should have been more concerned about those schools before building a multi-million dollar high school that we didn’t need.
By goober, May 10, 2016 @ 4:02 PM
everyone already knows they are planning to ship west shamokin students to the new super school and consolidate the elementries into the high school so why waste all the money on the studies? the only reason is to pay off the buddies at kimble. the shows over, just do it.