Online Petition Circulating in Support of New High School in Peters

More than 300 people have signed an online petition circulating in Peters Township demanding that the school board address overcrowding issues at the high school.

"Student enrollment exceeds the capacity of the structure, increasing security issues, failure of the building structure to meet academic needs, the impact of the aging high school facility on the value of community real estate, and the loss of potential income to the community through school district revenue," the petition states.

Three PTA members spoke at Monday night's school board meeting urging the board to consider building a new high school.

According to the Observer-Reporter, there are currently 1,496 students at the high school and enrollment is projected to jump to 1,537 by 2018. The capacity at the high school is 1,500.

Residents were surveyed last year about whether they'd support a tax increase to build a high school, and responses came back negative, according to the report.

Also at Monday's meeting, the board authorized the district's architect to seek proposals for both new artificial turf at the high school's stadium, as well as proposals to repair the old turf, to see the difference between the costs and life spans.