A growing number of students, and their increasing needs, are part of the rationale behind a new, $85 million elementary school in the South Fayette Township School District.
The school is set to be constructed by August 2028. It will be built on the district’s campus, 3680 Old Oakdale Road.
The existing elementary school will be razed, said Superintendent Michelle Miller.
Renovating the existing building was not cost-effective, Miller said. The building can hold 900 students, according to the state Department of Education, but that does not consider specific programming, Miller said.
The new building is expected to hold 1,075 students. South Fayette is a growing school district. Current districtwide enrollment stands at 3,558, while enrollment in the 2014-15 school year was 2,867 students.
“We find any corner we can in the building to provide instruction,” Miller said. “Although growth has slowed, we continually see enrollment increases each year.”
The new building will have three stories and include a large group instruction room and spaces for STEAM, ESL, physical therapy, occupational therapy and other sensory needs.
Miller said the new building will allow for full-day kindergarten. South Fayette currently offers half-day kindergarten.
Future and career readiness is also a feature of the new school.
Miller said there will be glass windows into computer control rooms and plumbing areas so students can see the functions behind those processes and get them thinking early about potential careers and jobs.
“We talk about being future-focused, student-centered and innovation-driven,” Miller said.
The school board in March awarded construction contracts that included a $59.5 million general construction contract to Massaro Corp., a $7.8 million HVAC contract to Lugulia, a $6.2 million plumbing contract to Vrabel, a $10.7 million electrical bid to Merit, an $882,000 food service construction contract to 11400 LLC and a $117,600 contract to Intertek PSI for construction materials testing and inspection services.
The district is also working through construction for an Intermediate School addition and a new maintenance and transportation facility, all on the South Fayette campus.
Transportation and maintenance construction costs are around $11.7 million, Miller said. Construction there is scheduled to be complete by August 2027.
The Intermediate School addition includes another classroom wing, special education rooms, a large group instruction room and an orchestra room, Miller said. Intermediate School construction costs total around $17 million. That project is anticipated to be complete this August.
“That will take care of curricular and projected enrollment needs and the elementary and intermediate school,” Miller said.
The district anticipates a 3-mill increase over three years to support construction costs, Miller said. The district raised taxes by 1 mill, from 26.7 mills to 27.7 mills, last school year. It is anticipated the district will increase taxes by 1 mill for the next two years, she said.
Miller said that, prior to last year, South Fayette had not raised taxes since the 2016-17 school year. One mill brings in around $1.64 million, Miller said.
The median property value in South Fayette is $168,400. That homeowner saw a $168 increase to their annual school district taxes last year.
“All of these increases go directly to construction,” Miller said. “We have always made sure we do our due diligence and are fiscally responsible.”