Greencastle-Antrim district renovation plans discussed

November 20, 2009|By KATE S. ALEXANDER

GREENCASTLE, PA. -A committee of the Greencastle-Antrim School Board plans to present its concept for renovating the district campus to the board early next month.

Superintendent Greg Hoover said the Facilities Development Committee has drafted a concept plan for renovating and expanding the facilities of the Greencastle-Antrim School District in three stages.

The plan should prepare the district for projected growth in 2020, he said.

At the heart of the concept is expanding classroom space by adding square footage and by renovating existing facilities, Director Arnie Jansen said.

Architect Mark Barnhardt, Senior Vice President of EI Associates of Harrisburg, Pa., said the district campus along Leitersburg Street and Ridge Avenue has exhausted most of its physical space.

Despite the limited amount of open space available for additions, Barnhardt said the district should be able to add to its campus while also increasing the number of parking spaces.

The committee tossed around ideas for adding classrooms, adding athletic facilities and combining essential services at the Greencastle-Antrim High School and the Greencastle-Antrim Middle School, and preparing for the advent of pre-kindergarten education.

The priorities included joining the high school and middle school to build a joint library, kitchen and cafeteria; expanding the Greencastle-Antrim Primary School; and renovating the Kaley Field stadium.

Moving the district offices was a priority for the committee, as was eventually building additional indoor athletic facilities, Hoover said.

Greencastle-Antrim Elementary School is home to the district's administrative offices. In the concept discussed Thursday evening, those offices would move to the high school.

While the concept is very preliminary, and continued to change even during the meeting Thursday, Hoover said one thing is clear: More classrooms need to be added by 2020.

No projected cost, tax increase or debt service was discussed publicly during the meeting, but Jansen suggested that as the district plans how it will fund the renovation it also should plan to fund the additional teachers and staff who will be required as the district grows.

Also considered were creating joint nursing and counseling facilities for the middle school and high school.

The meeting was advertised and open to the public.

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