In the News - Stories about the Elementary Schools Project

Mallory Lane, WTAJ, covers SCASD Elementary Projects state grant. 

The state Department of Community and Economic Development, under the direction of the Commonwealth Financing Authority, today awarded two Alternative and Clean Energy grants totaling $3.8 million to the State College Area School District for potential elementary school projects.

The competitive ACE grants, which reimburse school construction projects by up to 10 percent, mean the district administration and the design firm of Crabtree, Rohrbaugh & Associates will proceed with the current timeline of the District-Wide Facilities Master Plan-Elementary Update.

At present, the district is pursuing an accelerated master planning update, months ahead of schedule, due to the grants. To take advantage of significant state funding and save local tax dollars, the administration moved quickly to apply for the grants before an April 1 deadline. Securing eligibility, however, necessitated the master planning update to start earlier than scheduled because the grants require significant project construction by June 2018.

The district designated Houserville and Radio Park as the grants’ beneficiaries because potential projects for the schools would derive the largest reimbursements. Both projects, which would be built to Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Gold Certification standards, are in the preliminary design phase.

Though the grants have been awarded, they do not commit the district to projects. Starting this spring, the SCASD Board of Directors has been considering several building and attendance area distribution options centered around Corl Street, Houserville, Lemont and Radio Park elementary schools. Final decisions will not be made until the fall, and community forums continue to explain the process and solicit public input. The next forum is at 7 p.m. July 18 at Ferguson Township Elementary School.

In a special episode of C-NET's "Around the County" Anne Danahy speaks with Superintendent Dr. Bob O'Donnell and Business Administrator Randy Brown about the State College Area School District's District-Wide Facilities Master Plan Update for Elementary Schools. Click here for the video.

The video is also now available to view online at cnet1.org and will be televised on C-NET Channel 7 at the following times:

Thursday, June 30th at 6:30 pm
Friday, July 1st at 8:00 am and 5:00 pm
Saturday, July 2nd at 7:30 am

Thursday, July 7th at 6:30 pm
Friday, July 8th at 8:00 am and 5:30 pm
Saturday, July 9th at 7:30 am

Thursday, July 14th at 6:30 pm
Friday, July 15th at 8:00 am and 5:00 pm
Saturday, July 16th at 7:30 am

Listen (4.16 min.) or read this WPSU story about the future of Corl Street Elementary by Talia Cowen. It includes quotes by Randy Brown, District Business Administrator and several community members: Staphanie Perles and Terrill Salter.  

The link includes both the audio radio story and a text website story. 

Centre Daily Times article by Jeremy Hartley covering the June 1, 2016 community Forum held at Houserville Elementary School. 

StateCollege.com story by Geoff Rushton about the Elementary School Plan and public meetings.

Britney Milazzo, Centre Daily Times, covers the work under consideration for Houserville, Radio Park, Corl Street schools.

Britney Milazzo, Centre Daily Times, covers the first community forum held at Corl Street Elementary May 25, 2016