Renovations to begin at McMurray Elementary
Peters Township School District is finalizing plans for the $5.6 million, year-long renovation of McMurray Elementary School.
Plans for the project include upgrades to the building’s heating, ventilation and air conditioning systems. New windows, gutters and downspouts, and electrical system upgrades will be done and all classrooms will be painted and get new flooring. District officials said 87 percent of the project’s cost is eligible for reimbursement from the state.
Work should begin in early June when students and faculty go on summer break, said Shelly Belcher, a district spokeswoman. During the summer, work will be done on the school’s main office, the counseling area, gymnasium and cafeteria area, library and sixth grade classrooms. Six classrooms in the school will be completely renovated during the summer. Those classrooms will hold a rotating group of students and staff. Once work is completed on their classroom, those students and staff will move back into their permanent rooms. The section of the building under renovation will be blocked off to students to ensure safety.
“Our first concern was safety for our students and staff,” said school principal Blair Stoehr in a statement. “We looked at various plans and were able to come together with a schedule that involve the least interruptions to the students’ schedules and keep them in a familiar and safe classroom environment.”
Besides making improvement’s to the building itself, the district will upgrade its technology. The building’s wireless network will be expanded to improve connectivity to the computers and iPads used in class. Also, the building’s current security system will benefit from an expanded camera system that can be monitored by both the district and the Peters Township police.