Lemont Elementary Options Discussed, Updated Curricula Approved

The State College Area School Board on Monday held a required public hearing on the planned closing of Lemont Elementary.

The K-2 school will merge with Houserville Elementary to form a single K-5 school in a new, 70,000 square foot building to be constructed at the current Houserville site. The project is still in the design phase, with construction expected to be completed for the 2019-20 school year.  

Section 780 of the Pennsylvania Public School Code mandates a public hearing prior to the decision to close a school. 

During the process last year of determining renovation and new construction options for Corl Street, Radio Park and Houserville elementary schools, the board decided to merge Lemont and Houserville, a proposal that dates back to 1999. 

The school district could repurpose the building, which opened in 1938. If it decides to sell the property, solicitor Scott Etter said the district has three options. It can do so by auction, sealed bids or private sale.

In 2005 the district used sealed bids for the sale of the former Matternville Elementary School. In 2011, the former Boalsburg Elementary School, which closed with the opening of Mount Nittany Middle School, was sold to Saint Joseph’s Catholic Academy in a private sale. The former College Heights Elementary School was sold to Penn State in 2015 in a private sale.

College Township does not have right of first refusal on school properties for sale, as State College does for schools in the borough.

The board must wait at least three months following the public hearing to make a decision on the building, but it could be several years before a determination is made.

Updated Curricula

The board voted to approve updated curricula for math, English language arts and health and physical education.

Update curriculum for math is scheduled to begin for grades six through 12 this year and for elementary schools next year. 

The elementary school math curriculum update is in its first stage. Curriculum nights will be held during the fall at each elementary school, in conjunction with PTO meetings, to discuss the process and get parent feedback about their children’s experiences with math classes.

A new comprehensive student assessment plan also was approved. 

State High Project

The new State College Area High School project is currently 13 days behind schedule, but project manager Tim Jones told the board that the construction team is meeting to improve coordination among various contractors and address the issues that have caused the slow down.

In preparation for the opening of classrooms in January, work this fall will include the front facade and parking lot on Westerly Parkway; the exterior wall for the main building hallway; the library; and interior work on classrooms and the career and technical areas.

The board is expected to vote in August on furniture purchases for the December completion of phase 1 of the project and set cost limits for phase 2.