Officials discuss new school’s impact
Building to open in fall of 2020
Construction is well under way on the $95.9 million Peters Township High School, which was the primary topic of discussion during the annual joint meeting between the school board and council.
The township updated the school district Monday on the status of the roadways that will be built for access to the new high school.
The new high school is under construction on the site of the former Rolling Hills Country Club on East McMurray Road and is scheduled to open in time for the 2020-21 school year. The township is planning to build a park on the other half of the former Rolling Hills property.
Mark Zemaitis, the township’s director of engineering, said construction of Rolling Hills Drive, which is the planned through road between the new high school and the township’s park should begin in late May. The cost of the road is between $3 million and $3.5 million.
In addition, Center Church Road will be realigned to serve as one entrance to the property. The Center Church Road project will get underway in the summer, and the road will have to be closed for a few weeks while it is realigned.
A four-way intersection with a traffic light will be constructed at the East McMurray Road entrance to the school with East McMurray to be realigned. A new cul-desac will be constructed so the 18 homes that sit in that area of East McMurray Road will have access to their driveways.
The realignment and signalized intersection is set to go out to bid late this year with construction in 2020.
Meanwhile, the school’s foundation has been finished on the ground floor of the three-story building and some of the site’s utilities have been installed. Construction steel is scheduled to be delivered next week.
“This project in terms of coordination between the school district and township has been very good,” said township manager Paul Lauer.
After the new school opens in 2020, the district will be faced with configuration decisions. “We will be going from five schools to six,” district Superintendent Jeannine French said.
Ms. French said the district is using data from a feasibility study and a demographics study to look at grade configurations to see if it will keep all six schools open or close one.
She added talks on configuration are in the early stages and the district plans to engage the public for opinions going forward.
“All options are on the table,” at this point, Ms. French said.
The district also updated the township on a proposed golf practice facility at the new high school that will be on both school district and township property.
The board was approached last year by high school golf coach David Kuhn about saving one hole from the former golf course to use as a practice area for the golf team.
“It is hole No. 7 and tee box No. 8 on the old course,” school board member Minna Allison said.
The area also would have a small driving range. Ms. Allison said the project would be funded through donations and possibly naming rights.
Mr. Lauer said the school district will have to come before the township for site plan approval for the golf practice area since some parking will probably be required.
“It’s good to be able to tie in with the golf course that was there,” Mr. Lauer said.