Board Approves New High School Courses

The State College Area School Board on Monday approved the addition of seven new high school courses for the 2017-18 academic year.

The courses span five departments and will be funded through the existing curriculum budget.

The new courses include Human Geography and Advanced Placement World History in the Social Studies Department; Chinese 3 in the World Languages Department; College Prep Algebra 1A and 1B in the Mathematics Department; Guitar 2 in the Music Department; and Advanced Programming Essentials in C++ in the Career and Technical Center.

With the additions, staffing could potentially increase the Social Studies and World Languages departments.

State High Project Update
Tim Jones of Massaro Construction Management Services told the board that the main entrance of the new high school is taking shape, but that building has not yet begun on the upper story, which will contain a large group instruction area.

He said that masonry and steel work on the four three-story classroom units is progressing well. “Masonry work right now is the driver of our progress,” he said, according to a district release.

The walls for unit B are at full height and the mechanical room is beginning to take shape, with a concrete ceiling in place. Crews have begun to lay the floor for a future auxiliary gym that will be located above the mechanical room. According to the phasing schedule, the gym would not be ready until 2019.

In about a year, Jones said, the classroom units should be completed and ready for inspection.

Upcoming work includes the topping out of Pod B and the start of roofing.

The board also approved two project change orders totaling $6,914. A $5,301 change order was approved to increase duct sizes to accommodate airflow. A $1,613 order was approved to modify electric work and add a light fixture and occupancy sensor to a room.