At Springdale Junior-Senior High, there's new room for learning
At a ceremony Saturday to dedicate Springdale Junior-Senior High School's new two-story addition, school board president Larry Pollick recalled a friend's words of wisdom.
"He said: 'You can get there from here,'" Pollick said. "He was referring to the accomplishments of our alumni. I believe today our students have the same chance to pursue those dreams.
"This new facility is equipped to meet the technological, social and curricular needs of our students."
As part of the formal dedication, Allegheny Valley School District administrators and students cut orange ribbons at the doorway of the new D-wing.
Students later provided guests with guided tours of the addition, which is connected to the Technology Wing and ho17 classrooms.
Student Council President Erica Roney, 18, said among students' favorite features of the new space is the sunlight shining through the ceiling skylights.
"As a senior, I'm upset that we have to leave it because it's so beautiful," Roney said. "It's definitely a nicer place to sit in class all day."
The first floor of the new D-wing has consumer science, foreign language, special education and regular classrooms. The second floor has eight regular classrooms and two instruction/activity areas for team-teaching, plus a conference room.
The new wing also includes a multipurpose room with space for a regulation basketball court. Officials intend the room to be used for gym classes, but it could be used for testing and social events.
The old D-wing, an original part of the school built in 1931, was demolished in summer 2011. The area is now a parking lot.
School directors borrowed more than $18 million for the project, which also included renovating the B-wing's science and technical education classrooms and constructing a new gym.
The C-wing has been converted into a Fine Arts Center that houses the band and chorus rooms. The lower floor serves as an art suite for ceramics and studio, graphic and electronic arts.
Because the project came in under budget, the district chose to replace the school roof, upgrade the administrative offices to improve school security and renovate the cafeteria.
Jennifer Novich, president of the Allegheny Valley teachers union, and a special education teacher in the school for 18 years, said she went through similar extensive renovations to the high school in the 1990s.
"We were pleased then because it was all state-of-the art," she said. "This renovation ... better prepares us to get students for the future."
Springdale students created a time capsule to commemorate the occasion. Organized by the junior high Activities Club, the collection includes photos of the school buildings, the senior DVD, a blank diploma and graduation tassel.
The class of 2032 will open the capsule.
"It's beneficial for future students to know what we liked and were interested in," said freshman Sierra Presutti, 13, activities club president.
The district is unsure of whether it will bury the container or put it in a display case in the school.
Additional Information:
About the project
⢠Square footage of the high school building: 169,952
⢠Demolished area: 37,910 sq. ft.
⢠New construction: 42,935 sq. ft.
⢠Renovated space: 127,017 sq. ft.
⢠Project cost: $17.967 million
⢠Cost per square foot: $105
⢠Project length: 27 months
Source: Allegheny Valley School District
