A feasibility study for renovating Upper St. Clair's two middle schools has recommended four options, ranging from $14 million to $41.3 million, and an ad hoc committee studying the issue is putting its support behind the most expensive.
A committee, lead by school board Vice President David Bluey and including administrators, teachers and staff members, recommended the most extensive and expensive option. But several board members say nothing has been decided and it's possible other ideas could gel from more work.
Architectural firm Graves & McLean began work on the $16,000 study in March 2006, and presented the following options last month:
Option 1: Code corrections at both schools, $14 million
Option 2: Additions with partial renovations at both schools, $35.2 million
Option 3: Additions and renovations at Boyce only, to house all students grades 5-8, $39 million
Option 4: Additions, site improvements and renovations at both schools, $41.3 million
The committee is recommending Option 4, although Mr. Bluey said he does not agree with it.
If that option went forward, combined with needed work at the stadium and bus garage, and thrown into the mix with several pending large-scale township projects, taxpayers could see too much of an increase.
"When does it stop?" he asked.
Board member Angela Petersen said the board needs to take a step back and present the entire report to the community to find out what its needs are, perhaps even enlisting the help of an educational consultant to look into the future of education, much like what was done with planning for the high school. She wants the buildings, after completion, to be good for 30 years and she does not want to choose an option purely on price.
She said the board has not been given enough information, nor has it had enough discussions to make a decision.
Superintendent Patrick O'Toole said it's too early for him to choose an option but said the district will need to balance its needs with its ability to pay.
Mr. Bluey said the committee came up with the idea of combining all students at Boyce and selling the Fort Couch site, with tax revenue and proceeds helping to offset renovation costs. But he said that idea would likely be a "tough sell."
However, board President Mark Trombetta said he wants the architects to look at everything again, to come up with something more than the "bare bones" plan but less costly than the most expensive plan.
It would likely be fall before the board makes a decision, he said. Mrs. Petersen said until the homework is done, it's too early even to have a timeline, especially given how difficult it is to schedule community meetings over the summer.
Boyce Middle School, which houses grades five and six, was built in 1969, with a current enrollment of 636. Fort Couch Middle School houses seventh and eight grades. It was built in 1949 with renovations in 1952, 1968 and 1989 and currently has 661 students.
The report lists a bevy of problems at each school, with both having problems with instruction areas for special education, inadequate storage, undersized and dated cafeterias and kitchens, inadequate administration areas with security issues, dated lighting, areas where accessibility is not up to code and dated classroom technology.
First Published: June 7, 2007, 10:45 a.m.
