After years of planning and debate, the Freeport Area (Pennsylvania) School Board has approved plans for a $55 million renovation of the district's high school.
The Pittsburgh Tribune-Review reports that the board voted 5 to 4 to move forward with the overhaul of Freeport Area High School in Sarver.
“It was time to do something,” said Board President Gary Risch, Jr. “Our students deserve moving forward as this community grows to have a nice high school to go to.”
Much of the building remains unchanged from when it opened in 1960, although it did undergo substantial upgrades in 1967 and 1987.
Chief complaints from students and staff include sewage problems and sweltering classrooms during the warmer months.
Those issues will be addressed with a full sewage system replacement — an engineer has described the existing one as being in total failure — and new heating and cooling systems. The district also will complete electrical work, remove all asbestos, redo the auditorium and replace windows.
Detractors acknowledged much of the approved work needs to be done. But as board member John Haven put it, “it’s going to be such a burden on taxpayers.”
