WHY DID THE DISTRICT BUILD A NEW SCHOOL?

As the district evaluated the status of Barrett and Park Elementary schools, it became evident that the age of the buildings posed a significant challenge. Both date back to World War I - and in Park's case, even earlier - and are not designed for the modern needs of educators and students. From accessibility challenges to security concerns to antiquated heating and cooling systems and beyond, the buildings have multiple issues that pose significant challenges for the district.

Neither Barrett nor Park is equipped to handle the entirety of the district’s elementary enrollment. The district studied the cost of renovating each school, but those options posed their own sets of challenges. Even with substantial, costly renovations, the buildings would still lack modern safety features – including security vestibules to limit entry and screen visitors – and continue to pose accessibility challenges for the physically disabled.

The buildings also had limited space in their residential areas for expansion, lacked the flexibility to adapt to 21st century learning environments, had significant capacity concerns, and struggled to meet the accessibility needs of students and staff.

Park Elementary's location at the intersection of Main Street and Cambria Street makes it difficult to do extensive renovations or expansion.

Renovating and expanding Franklin Primary was also studied, but the cost was essentially equivalent to brand new construction.

Along with addressing aging infrastructure, the district was determined to correct long-standing equity issues at the elementary level by bringing all elementary students together in one building. Every elementary student will now have the same resources available to them. Not only will this provide a more equitable and enriching educational environment, but the hope is that it will aid the transition from elementary to middle school. Fifth graders will be moved out of the middle school, enabling them to grow and mature for another year.

Steel Valley students currently make the leap to middle school in their fifth grade year. Once Steel Valley Elementary is built, that will happen prior to their sixth grade year.

Building a new, modern elementary school not only addresses educational and staffing inequities and aging infrastructure, but it will hopefully help bring families back to the Steel Valley School District and encourage new families to move in. As education has evolved, parents have more choices than ever before. Cyber, private, and charter schools all compete with public schools for enrollment.

Steel Valley has worked diligently over the past few years to address the number of students living in the district who attend cyber or charter schools. The district believes the new elementary school will aid in that mission.

PLANNING STEEL VALLEY ELEMENTARY

Discussion of merging the student populations at Barrett and Park Elementary schools dates back many years. The Steel Valley Elementary project began in earnest in 2021, when the district hired DRAW Collective to conduct a feasibility study of the district’s elementary facilities and operations. DRAW Collective conducted a thorough evaluation of Barrett, Park, and Franklin Primary and presented its final results to the school board in January 2022.

The feasibility study was an important step, because it enabled the district to evaluate building a new school alongside a potential renovation and expansion of Franklin Primary and alongside substantial renovations to Barrett and Park Elementary. Ultimately, the district decided that those alternatives did not meet the district’s needs for its elementary students and forged ahead with plans for a new school. To do so, it asked DRAW Collective to handle the design.

While previous explorations into building a new school considered other sites in the district, the site of the Franklin Primary building was a natural fit for Steel Valley Elementary. Its proximity to the existing middle school and high school building, as well as the ability to use the adjacent Griffin Field and the adjacent site of the former Woodlawn Middle School building as part of the design and construction process was a significant benefit. The district already owned the property, and it provided the largest square footage and flexibility to design a building that properly met the district’s needs.

The district worked with DRAW Collective to establish parameters regarding class size and enrollment projections, including allowing for potential enrollment growth in the district. It also outlined the required features of the new school.

DRAW Collective was hired in June 2022 to begin the design process and conducted its schematic design phase until May 2023. Along with designing the look and layout of the school, DRAW Collective worked with the district to do site samples and a geotechnical review, conducted a hazardous material inspection, and went through all of the permitting and licensing projects of this size require. The district also held community advisory board meetings on the process and DRAW Collective took administrators and faculty on tours of other recently constructed buildings.

With 50 percent of the design development complete and approved by the school board and administration, it was time to hold a required Act 34 hearing. This public meeting is required by the Pennsylvania Public School Code for capital projects like building a new school.

The hearing was held in the high school auditorium on Thursday, June 22, 2023. It featured a welcome and introduction from then-Superintendent Edward Wehrer as well as presentations about the project design and capital costs by representatives from DRAW Collective, a cost analysis by PNC Capital, and the budget impact by then-Business Manager Matthew Weber. The public was then allowed to share their comments and ask questions, which were collected and responded to via an FAQ that the district shared on its website.

The administration, school board, and DRAW Collective spent the next several months working to make modifications to the proposed design and completing the construction documents. This included meetings with key stakeholders, including current elementary teachers and paraprofessionals.

DRAW Collective presented an updated to the school board and the public during the January 25, 2024 board meeting. It returned with a final update on March 21, 2024 that includes a few key revisions to the design and details of the public space, including the gymnasium and cafeteria.

The project went out to bid in April 2024. Bids were collected and reviewed over the next six weeks. On June 20, 2024, the school board officially awarded Rycon Construction the project and officially approved the start of the project.

Site work began in August 2024, which included the demolition of Franklin Primary. A groundbreaking ceremony was held on September 26, 2024 to officially mark the start of construction.

The project is tentatively scheduled to be completed in August 2026 in time for the start of the school year.