Southmoreland school directors continued to debate their options Thursday on realigning kindergarten through 8th grade and renovating existing schools or building a new one. R. Kay Thompson of Eckles Architecture discussed the latest proposals the school directors are considering. The board appears to be leaning toward closing the junior high and having a middle school for grades 6, 7 and 8, but what remains undecided is whether to build a new school or renovate Scottdale Elementary School to accommodate the nearly 600 students in those grades. A new school would likely be placed near the junior high or on a piece of property yet to be acquired. Thompson told the board about 25 to 35 acres would be required for the school and surrounding parking and athletic parctice fields. Should the board decide to renovate the elementary school, which at one time was a high school, there would have to be some major changes. In addition to new windows, roofing, carpeting and heating and air conditioning, the school would require an upgraded gymnasium and cafeteria and some space would have to be converted into instructional areas. “That’s the tougher conversion in terms of what’s there now,” Thompson told the board. Among the other options being considered is expanding Ruffsdale Elementary School to accommodate almost 600 students in grades 3, 4 and 5. That’s about three times the number of students who currently attend classes there, so a major addition would be required that might require use of land currently home to the area’s Little League baseball teams. Expansion of Ruffsdale would also require constructing a sewage plant because no municipal sewage is available in the area. If the board decides to go ahead with the Scottdale and Ruffsdale elementary proposals with three grades at each school, Alverton Elementary School would be renovated to house students in kindergarten through second grade. If a middle school is built, the board may consider housing grades 2 through 5 at Scottdale, kindergarten-first grade at Alverton and closing Ruffsdale or converting it into an administration building. After about an hour of discussion, the board directed Thompson to study the ideas for the buildings and return with some cost figures. No matter what school options the board choses, Superintendent Dr. John Kenney pointed out that a new sewage treatment plant will be required at the Alverton complex to service both Alverton Elementary and the senior high school. The district’s hope of connecting to the Fay-West Municipal Authority system appear to be unpractical in terms of cost and timing. It could take years of planning and millions of dollars to tie into the Fay-West system, and there are already problems with the district’s current packaged sewage plant that doesn’t allow for much delay. Because not all of the Plancon documents have been submitted for the high school renovation, Thompson said part of the construction cost for a new plant in Alverton may still be reimburseable through the state. The board’s business meeting, which would normally be held at 7 p.m. Feb. 14, was rescheduled for Feb. 21 in the administration building.

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