Bethel Park marks first day at new elementary center
Mandi Figlioli’s eyes moistened as the first school buses wheeled up to the curb transporting the 1,800 students to the new Bethel Park Elementary School.
“It feels like Christmas,” she said, wiping away tears. “I just can’t wait to see the kids’ faces.”
Those faces on the students in grades kindergarten through five expressed a range of emotions. There was joy, apprehension, awe, and yes, even tears, but dissimilar to Figliol’s.
Laurie Dressler embraced one of those anxious youngsters. An educator for 34 years, Dressler currently serves as a Multi-Tiered System of Supports (MTSS) Math Specialist in the district.
“Some people are excited and some people are scared,” she said.
“It’s anxiety to change for the kids,” Dressler explained. “We’re ready for it. I mean, everyone’s very caring, helpful and loving here. So it’s all going to be good. He’s gonna make best friends, and by the end of the day, he’s going to be happy. I know he will.”
Dr. Matthew Patterson shared the same sentiments. He arrived in April as the new superintendent of schools in the district.
“Some have big smiles on their faces and some have tears. We see that any given year. We see a lot of tears from parents on that first day, too,” he added. “There’s obviously some nerves, separation anxiety, but we’re going to be OK. All the children are in a great place here in this school.”
The 280,000-square-foot facility arose following a 2021 demographic analysis and facilities master plan that found it more feasible to construct a new elementary center and renovate the middle school as opposed to modernize the decades-old schools such as Abraham Lincoln, George Washington, Ben Franklin, Memorial and William Penn elementaries as well as Neil Armstrong Middle School.
Groundbreaking on the three-story design with two gymnasiums, two playgrounds, three STEAM labs, and two libraries began in 2024. The doors to the new school, which features layout and design features customized to the needs of primary (K-2) and intermediate (3-5) students, opened on Sept. 3, 2026.
Figlioli has seen the $133 million project from infancy to finish. She has served the district for five years in the capacity as assistant superintendent for elementary education. A West Virginia resident, Figlioli worked previously in the Burgettstown School District.
“It’s incredible to see something come alive off of paper,” she said. “It’s something that requires the heart, the energy of human beings, to bring it alive. It has been something that has been a cumulative effort of talking through concerns (with teachers, administration and parents), working through hiccups and issues that have come along the way to try to make a place that everybody feels like their students are going to be safe and like they belong.”
The school features state-of-the-art classrooms, collaborative spaces, a 300-seat large group instruction area. It is bathed in natural colors and elements of nature. Based on a national park theme, it supports way finding to respective learning spaces within the building.
“We really consider this as three elementary schools in one,” said Jim Cromie, who is the director of communications and public relations for the school district. “They have their own principal on each floor. They all have a lot of amenities but there are some shared spaces like the STEAM space, the libraries, the gymnasium, the cafeteria, and a few others.
“Students spend about 83% of their day in their classroom, or around what we’re calling their neighborhood,” Cromie continued. “So it won’t feel overwhelming to them for a building that’s as large as it is. We wanted to make something big feel small.”
According to Cromie, all the floors have a similar layout but there are some differences. Additionally, there are two playgrounds that would be officially ready for use after Labor Day because the recently poured surface required additional drying time.
Genevieve Link was thrilled about that. A third-grade student, she walked to school with her mother, Megan, because she lives in the surrounding neighborhood.
“I feel good about (the school). I live close so I can just walk,” Link said. “I’m really excited and I really like how the recess area outside is pretty big, but I am still sad that it’s still under construction.”
Her mother said of the new school, which is the largest elementary in Pennsylvania, “It’s really nice. I wish I had a school like this when I was growing up.”
When she grew up, Genevieve Link did not have the safety concerns there are today. With that in mind, the new facility was built with 21st-century safety and security measures.
The school employs a security officer and a school police officer. Both are on duty full time. Additionally, according to Cromie, large group areas such as the auditorium, LGI space and gyms are positioned on opposite ends of the building.
“Safety was a foundational consideration of everything we did. So before we got into the academics or the logistics of it, we asked the question, ‘How did it impact our student or our staff safety?'” he said.
“They separated entrances and larger group areas from the academic portion of the building, and when you enter in the main entrance of the building, you see there’s a policeman stationed there. And, of course, they have great security. So I think it’s probably as secure as you can be for an elementary center. We try to make sure that our people feel as safe as possible at all times.”
A safe environment promotes a healthy learning climate and that is the main purpose of the new education center, says Patterson.
“This school represents a generous commitment on the part of this community to public education, but more than the buildings themselves, what really matters is what happens in the classroom, and that’s really what we’re after next,” the superintendent said.
“Beautiful buildings were only part of the story. Tremendous learning opportunities in academic growth are most important to us,” he continued.
“Our educators here are first class. The administrators, our service personnel, our cafeteria workers, our school bus operators are first class. They are 100% committed to the mission, and they deeply care about the children and families they serve.”