Private School Buys Former Perrysville Elementary School

The nonprofit Glen Montessori School today bought the 's former Perrysville Elementary School building for $630,000.

The closing took place on the property, at 950 Perry Highway.

Glen Montessori, a private nonprofit school based in Kilbuck Township, plans to use the Perrysville building as a school. 

About 200 students who attend classes in a leased space at 500 Huntington Ave. in Emsworth will be transferred to the Perry Highway school, said Executive Director and Head of School Lois Payne.

She said the school should be ready to open under its new banner in time for summer camp, which begins June 4. 

Payne said renovations will include flooring, painting and cosmetic upgrades.

A tour of the facility will be offered to the community when building upgrades are completed, and there will be an open house from 1-3 p.m. Feb. 26  at the Emsworth location for anyone who has questions about enrolling their children. 

"We're just relieved and happy to have this whole phase completed," Payne said after the closing.  

The price was $30,000 less than the originally negotiated amount of $660,000 last summer.

A later inspection of the property showed that the roof needed to be replaced triggering the renegotiated amount, said David Hall, director of finance and operations for the district. 

Conditions of the sale include a provision that the nonprofit will not seek an exemption from property taxes.

The district tentatively plans to earmark the money raised from the sale of the former school toward its capital projects fund for air conditioning in the junior high school, Hall said. 

The  closed  in 2010 and shifted students to ,  and McIntyre elementary schools as part of a plan to consolidate seven elementary schools into four larger buildings.

Built in 1924, the three-story structure temporarily housed fourth-, fifth- and sixth-graders last year . 

The Perrysville building has 14 classrooms and additional educational spaces. 

Glen Montessori was one of more than 10 potential buyers who toured the property after district officials sent letters to alert at least 30 real estate agents that it was for sale.

Glen Montessori School offers educational programs for infants to sixth-graders. Founded in 1986, it uses self-directed learning techniques that Maria Montessori developed, according to the school’s Web site.