Hatboro-Horsham Eyes Closing Pennypack Elementary (ICYMI)

HATBORO, PA — With a new elementary school set to open at Crooked Billet next fall, officials with Hatboro-Horsham School District are looking to close nearby Pennypack Elementary.

A public hearing has been set for Feb. 25 at which district administrators are expected to discuss the rationale for closing Pennypack and get feedback from community members. The hearing will be at 7 p.m. in the auditorium of Hatboro-Horsham High School.

"With this new school's completion on the horizon, it is time to consider the possibility of closing Pennypack Elementary School, a beloved but aging building, and merging the attendance area with Crooked Billet Elementary School," Superintendent Curtis Griffin wrote in a letter this week to the school community.

The renovation of Crooked Billet Elementary has been going on since 2018. Once open, it will be a state-of-the-art school with the capacity to teach 600 students, district officials say.

Meanwhile, Pennpack Elementary, at 130 Spring Ave. in Hatboro, is in need of major upgrades including a roof replacement, a new boiler, food-prep equipment and electrical system, district officials say.

Under state law, the Hatboro-Horsham school board will have 90 days after the hearing during which to vote on the closure of Pennypack.