Preparations underway for a massive renovation at Hempfield Area High School
Hempfield Area High School hasn't seen a major renovation since the 1990s, but now, all that is about to change.
After both a demographic and feasibility study, the Hempfield Area School District is getting ready to move forward on a full-blown renovation to their high school.
Dr. Matt Conner, the Assistant Superintendent Secondary Education at Hempfield says that these renovations are overdue and that everyone is excited for the reimaging of their school.
"If you have the opportunity to walk into our high school, it is very traditional," said Dr. Conner. "However, that's not what our students need. That's not what they are going to experience as they matriculate forward, whether it's into higher [education] or other programs and into the workforce. We need to have spaces that they can experience some of the new technologies out there, and that's what our goal is in this renovation."
The price tag for this massive project is estimated around $130 million, which will be paid for by various bond measures over several years.
Dr. Conner says that with that money, every element of their current facility will be touched and upgraded to varying degrees. He also said that new portions of the school will be constructed, and new and updated equipment will also be installed throughout all of the buildings from the classrooms to the cafeteria.
"The innovation labs that are being designed, awesome stuff," Dr. Conner said. "We are talking about garage doors that open up into a common space, so depending on the need, we may be able to host some regional competitions in those spaces because you'll be able to expand out. I'm excited about it all to be honest with you. It is a much-needed upgrade to our programming, to our community and to our high school students."
Now, good things do take time, and the timeline for all of these renovations to be complete, is anywhere from two and a half to three years.
