‘An Exciting New Beginning.’ Take a Look Inside the New Bellefonte Elementary School

Hundreds of students, families and other community members got their first look inside the long-planned new Bellefonte Elementary School on Wednesday evening.

Featuring performances by the high school band, majorettes and color guard and remarks from elected officials and district leadership, the ribbon-cutting ceremony and open house marked the public debut of the $55 million school at 108 Governors Park Road, a little over two years after construction began on what was formerly an empty field.

“Two years ago, I referred to this big open field as a field of dreams,” former superintendent Tammy Burnaford, who retired the same year, said. “Today that dream has been realized because of many bridge builders who planned, supported, designed, financed and believed in this school. The hopes and dreams of our students and families can take root here, and they can grow for generations. And perhaps one day, children who learn within these walls will realize their own dreams and become future bridge builders, too.”

The 98,000-square-foot building merges the former Bellefonte Elementary on West Linn Street and Benner Township Elementary on Buffalo Run Road, both of which closed with the end of the 2025-26 school year. (The district has not yet made plans for the future of those buildings.)

It has space for up to 750 students in a modern, up-to-date learning environment.

Superintendent Roy Rakszawski called the opening “an exciting new beginning.”

“This is a beautiful building, and it is beautiful by design,” Rakszawski said. “Every decision was made with careful regard to how the space functions for teaching and learning, how it looks and feels to the children who walk through these doors, the history of the schools and neighborhoods that brought us to this moment, and the traditions that make Bellefonte what it is. Those considerations were never in competition with one another. You can see all four of them in every space throughout the school.”

In addition to spacious classrooms across two floors, the building features flexible learning spaces, including a large outdoor courtyard that is enclosed by the design of the building, a STEM lab, media center and rooms for art, music, life skills, emotional support and occupational therapy. A multi-purpose room with a gym and stage is next door to the cafeteria.

The tiered Learning Stairs, where groups can gather for multi-class activities, sit just above the Hall of History. The central hallway has “BELLEFONTE” and “BASD” spelled out on the walls and filled in with historic images of Bellefonte and the school district on one side, and a Historic Bellefonte display case on the other.

“This building honors where we have been as a community while fulfilling our commitment to prepare today’s learners for tomorrow’s challenges,” Rakszawski said.

Bellefonte Area School Board President Jon Guizar credited the school district community for participating in the planning process and supporting the investment in education with a new school that replaces aging and outdated buildings that were 64-years-old (Benner) and 85-years-old (Bellefonte).

“This school is more than brick and mortar; it is evidence that when a community decides education matters, real change can happen,” Guizar said. “It is proof that public education still belongs to the people who fund it, who send their children there, and who believe in it.”

State Rep. Kerry Benninghoff, R-Bellefonte, and state Rep. Paul Takac, D-College Township, whose legislative districts both include parts of the Bellefonte School District, each recalled their own public school experiences and how they helped to shape them.

Both lauded the investment in the future of Bellefonte’s children.

“I believe that investing in our children and in their education is the single greatest investment we can make in our future — not only for individuals, but for our communities, for our commonwealth, and for our nation as a whole,” Takac said. “I’m proud of our efforts and your efforts to make sure that every child, regardless of their zip code, regardless of where they come from, regardless of their background has the tools they need to succeed, and the educators that do that work every single day have the resources that they need. This magnificent school is emblematic of that same commitment from our entire community.”

Added Benninghoff, “This school will continue to produce a lot of great leaders in our community and beyond. Our future depends on it. Students, you have a wonderful world waiting for you. You have a beautiful school to do it in.”

Students will begin the academic year at the new school on Sept. 1.