Wissahickon School Board Submits Plan for High School Rebuild

The Wissahickon School Board unanimously approved the submission of PlanCon A&B for a rebuild of the high school to the Pennsylvania Department of Education for consideration of reimbursement.

Wade Coleman, Business Administrator for the District, said the plan reflects conversations among the superintendent, the high school teachers, the high school principal and more. The rebuild is being considered "renovations," as the circular gym will be saved and other parts of the school will be torn down and rebuilt.

The renovations are estimated to cost the district $82 million.

Coleman said that approving the plan does not commit the district to the plan as written, or the plan at all. However, by approving the plan and submitting it to PDE now, the district is able to get it in before the moratorium on PlanCons goes into effect in October, and the district can see if the state will reimburse for this plan.

The school board also had to approve the facilities study as presented in December of 2011 by D'Huy Engineers and Breslin Architects.

"PDE wants you to show that you have professionally reviewed your facilities…and your options," said Coleman.

He added that even though the board is approving the facilities study, they don't have to act on any of it and can implement different options than what is presented in the study.