On December 7, 2023, the GASD Board of Directors approved the Facilities Management and Master Plan which will guide our financial and facilities plans for the coming years.
Greencastle-Antrim School District
Facilities Management & Master Plan
Board Approved: December 7, 2023
Table of Contents
MASTER PLAN DEVELOPMENT TEAM ................................................................................................................................................................................. 4
MASTER PLAN PRIORITIES ................................................................................................................................................................................................. 5
SINGULAR CAMPUS ENVIRONMENT ................................................................................................................................................................................... 6
H ISTORY OF B UILDING P ROJECT I NITIATIVES ................................................................................................................................................................................................. 7 E NROLLMENT P ROJECTIONS .................................................................................................................................................................................................................... 10 2023 N EEDS FOR GASD B UILDINGS : ....................................................................................................................................................................................................... 11
SAFETY AND SECURITY .................................................................................................................................................................................................... 12
S ECURITY W INDOW F ILM ....................................................................................................................................................................................................................... 13 S ECURITY A CCESS AND V IDEO ................................................................................................................................................................................................................. 13
MAINTAIN EXISTING FACILITIES & EXPANDING PROGRAMS ............................................................................................................................................... 14
P RIMARY S CHOOL ................................................................................................................................................................................................................................. 14 E LEMENTARY S CHOOL ........................................................................................................................................................................................................................... 14 M IDDLE S CHOOL .................................................................................................................................................................................................................................. 15 H IGH S CHOOL ...................................................................................................................................................................................................................................... 15
EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION ....................................................................................................................................................................................... 16
TAYAMENTASACHTA ........................................................................................................................................................................................................ 17
F UTURE H OPES AND D REAMS ................................................................................................................................................................................................................. 17 H ISTORY OF T AYAMENTASACHTA .............................................................................................................................................................................................................. 18
EXTRA-CURRICULAR EXPERIENCES ................................................................................................................................................................................... 19
INCREASING ENROLLMENT CAPACITY ............................................................................................................................................................................... 20
HIGH SCHOOL ADDITION ................................................................................................................................................................................................. 21
PRIORITY PLAN ............................................................................................................................................................................................................... 22
O NE -T HREE Y EAR P LAN ......................................................................................................................................................................................................................... 22 T HREE -F IVE Y EAR P LAN ........................................................................................................................................................................................................................ 22 F IVE -T EN Y EAR P LAN ............................................................................................................................................................................................................................ 22
FINANCING THE PLAN ...................................................................................................................................................................................................... 23
GAEF N AMING R IGHTS : ........................................................................................................................................................................................................................ 23 A NNUAL B UDGET FOR F ACILITIES M AINTENANCE ....................................................................................................................................................................................... 23 B OND I SSUE P AYMENT .......................................................................................................................................................................................................................... 23 A NNUAL T RANSFER TO C APITAL R ESERVES ................................................................................................................................................................................................ 24 E XPIRING B OND P AYMENTS .................................................................................................................................................................................................................... 24
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APPENDIX A: S TAKEHOLDER F EEDBACK ................................................................................................................................................................................................ 25 F ALL 2023 S URVEY .............................................................................................................................................................................................................................. 25 N ARRATIVE F EEDBACK ........................................................................................................................................................................................................................... 28
Plaque at the Shockley Family Center for Performing Arts
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Greencastle-Antrim School District
Master Plan Development Team
School Board of Directors Tracy Baer, Board President Eileen Dickinson, Vice President Carter Davidson Shannon Blanchard Shannon Yates Janon Gray Chris Bonillas
Hal Myers Rich Davis
GASD Administration Dr. Lura A. Hanks, Superintendent
Caroline Royer, Chief Financial and Support Services Officer Dr. Ed Rife, Executive Director of Secondary Education Angela Singer, Executive Director of Elementary Education Ginger Thompson, Executive Director of Special Education Chad Stover, Supervisor of Student Services Nicole Tosten, Supervisor of Special Programs and Behavior Management Michael McManus, Principal 6-12 Ashley Martin, Principal, K-5 Dwight Bard, Director of Technology Jerry Crable, Supervisor of Data and Assessment
School Police Officers Randy Kane, 6-12
GASD Advisory Board Members
Greencastle-Antrim Education Foundation
GASD Faculty
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Greencastle-Antrim School District
MASTER PLAN PRIORITIES
GASD Mission
A community invested in empowering our students to strive for excellence to succeed in the future.
GASD Vision
Every student will experience personal success and positively impact the world.
The purpose of this plan is to address the current needs of our district and to provide flexibility to accommodate for future growth and expansion of programs. The plan includes potential construction and improvement projects that may be considered over the next 10 years that align to our district mission and vision. Most importantly, the GASD master plan is intended to consider the academic program as the driver for facility needs and our students’ ability to achieve our GASD Core Competencies upon gradua tion.
Singular Campus Environment GASD is proud of the singular campus environment and seeks to maintain one campus that can accommodate future growth and expansion.
Early Childhood Education Quality pre-kindergarten experiences have been proven to have a positive and high impact on student achievement. Expanding our educational program to include pre- kindergarten must be a consideration in the long-term facilities plan. Tayamentasachta Tayamentasachta Environmental Center is a unique asset to the district and must be maintained for environmental and outdoor education experiences. The barn is a landmark structure for the district and should be included in considerations for potential academic uses. Extra-Curricular Experiences GASD recognizes the value that extra-curricular experiences add to the growth and development of our students. Therefore, the master plan reflects our commitment to facilities that can support and encourage growing participation in arts, interest clubs, student organizations, and athletic/wellness teams.
Safety and Security The health and safety of our students and staff is critical while on campus. Our facilities plan must include efforts to monitor the safety measures in place and continually improve facilities for maximum security possible across the district. Maintain Existing Facilities & Expanding Programs GASD intends to continue to strengthen and expand academic programs aligned to the needs of our students for success post-graduation. Our facilities must accommodate for growth in student population and program expansion by increasing available instructional space (small group and classroom), upgrading furnishings for state-of-the-art science and engineering capabilities.
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Singular Campus Environment A most distinct feature of the academic environment in the Greencastle-Antrim School District is that all students, kindergarten through grade 12, are housed on one campus. This provides a unique community feel and allows for access by all grades to campus resources, collaboration between school buildings and classrooms, and a signature location for community events.
Wellspan Property Donation; June 2023
Tayamentasachta
44 acres; Rented out for farm use.
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History of Building Project Initiatives There have been several points over the past 13 years in which the district recognized the need for expansion of space. In each occurrence, funding may have presented a barrier. As we continue to anticipate growth of population and programs, having a strategic plan can assist in financial preparation for future projects.
Record Herald, June 4, 2010
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Waynesboro Record Herald January 24, 2014
“ GREENCASTLE — The price tag for the initial round of renovations to Greencastle-Antrim high school and middle school has been cut in half, but it may come at a cost.
A growing problem
At Thursday’s school board meeting, Mark Barnhardt, senior vice president for EI Associates — the district’s architectural firm, presented an updated plan for the first round of renovations and expansion of the two schools to accommodate the district’s rapidly exp anding enrollment.
Enrollment projections by EI Associates show the district will grow by nearly 1,000 students over the next 10 years.
The district is largely at capacity already, with more than 30 students in some classrooms.”
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Herald Mail, August 25, 2019
The images depict the options to add on to each existing building. There is also an option shown to connect the primary and elementary schools and create a more efficient roadway which would create a bus loop in the front of the buildings, and a car rider loop at the rear.
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Enrollment Projections The following enrollment projections are based on the calculation of school district enrollment projections. School district enrollment projections on performed on an individual school district using a combination of a Grade Progression model and a modified Enrollment Rate model. The Grade Progression Model is used to project enrollments for Grades 2-12. Using five years of actual enrollment data, a progression rate for each year is calculated by using a year's actual enrollment for a grade and dividing it by the previous year's actual enrollment for the next lowest grade. For example, if the Year 2 Grade 5 enrollment was 100 students and the Year 1 Grade 4 Enrollment was 102, then the Year 2 Grade 5 Progression Rate is 100/102 = 0.9804. Through a series of rules, the four calculated progression rates are combined to build a progression rate for the model. The modified Enrollment Rate model used birth data supplied by the Pennsylvania Department of Health and property market rate values by school district supplied by the Tax Equalization Division (TED) of the Department of Community and Economic Development. The data supplied from TED is combined with the data supplied by the Department of Health to determine the number of births by School District. The TED data is used to determine the distribution of households by school district for any municipalities which are split by multiple school districts. These births are used to predict the enrollment rate of Kindergarten and Grade 1 by utilizing a five year and six-year lag respectively.
Kdg.
Grade 1
Grade 2
Grade 3
Grade 4
Grade 5
Grade 6
Grade 7
Grade 8
Grade 9
Grade 10
Grade 11
Grade 12
Actual
2017 - 2018
211
217
194
242
250
266
248
236
238
230
217
241
223
Actual
2018 - 2019
211
220
222
203
246
256
266
257
243
245
225
215
237
Actual
2019 - 2020
211
219
215
229
202
250
255
259
259
250
243
226
209
Actual
2020 - 2021
186
211
216
219
227
192
254
257
254
262
254
247
220
Actual
2021 - 2022
188
201
215
220
222
226
202
260
266
268
266
246
247
Projection
2022 - 2023
182
232
201
219
221
221
230
204
263
274
268
265
242
Projection
2023 - 2024
173
217
232
205
220
220
225
232
207
271
274
267
260
Projection
2024 - 2025
179
205
217
236
206
219
224
227
235
213
271
273
262
Projection
2025 - 2026
165
213
205
221
237
205
223
226
230
242
213
270
268
Projection
2026 - 2027
162
197
213
209
222
236
208
225
229
237
242
212
265
Projection
2027 - 2028
159
192
197
217
210
221
240
210
228
236
237
241
208
Projection
2028 - 2029
156
189
192
201
218
209
225
242
213
235
236
236
237
Projection
2029 - 2030
153
185
189
196
202
217
212
227
245
220
235
235
232
Projection
2030 - 2031
150
182
185
192
197
201
220
214
230
253
220
234
231
Projection
2031 - 2032
148
179
182
188
193
196
204
222
217
237
253
219
230
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Add storage to all buildings. Classroom space to the middle school.
2023 Needs for GASD Buildings:
High School: •
Science Classrooms and Labs
• Additional Classrooms for Expanding Programs • Additional Gymnasium (for wellness classroom, weight training, cardio, indoor percussion, and wrestling room)
Middle School •
Inviting Main Entrance
Elementary School •
Main Office HVAC
Windows
• •
Gym/Cafeteria Floor Replacement
• Classroom Storage needs (aging cabinets/sinks)
Primary School •
Small Group Spaces (currently using closets and stairwells) • Classroom space (expanding special program classes) • Early Childhood Classrooms • Storage (no storage available as space is used instructionally)
Figure 1: Primary School Back Stairwell
Figure 2: Primary School Middle Stairwell
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Safety and Security The health and safety of our students and staff is critical while on campus. Our facilities plan must include efforts to monitor the safety measures in place and continually improve facilities for maximum security possible across the district.
Using a grant through the Pennsylvania Commission on Crime and Delinquency (PCCD), GASD was able to add a second school police officer to the campus for two years. Additionally, GASD used grant funds to install fencing at the rear of the elementary school to secure the playground area and increase lighting around the campus.
We have two areas that we would like to prioritize that would directly impact the level of safety and security on the campus:
1. An additional police vehicle: These vehicles are used for residency checks, home visits, court hearings and other official district business involving our school police officers off campus.
2. Security window film: Security window film is used to enhance the security of regular window glass. When properly applied, security window film can provide the following benefits: a. Security window film can increase the strength of the window, which can delay or prevent entry by an intruder. b. Security window film can reduce injuries caused by flying glass when the window is shattered. This could occur because of an accident, an act of vandalism, a blast, or a natural disaster. c. Certain types of security window film can provide benefits not directly related to security. These can include tinting of the window, reduction of the heat passing through the glass, and the reduction of damages caused by the sun's ultraviolet rays.
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Security Window Film The decision to use or not use security window film should only be made after a comprehensive security assessment has been conducted. The security assessment should provide guidance as to where security window film should be used and establish the type of security film and attachment methods to be used based upon the level of risk at the specific facility. • Latest PSP RVATS survey for GASD dated October 5, 2021, recommended impact resistant glass or security film be installed on all doors, accessible first floor windows and sidelights. • At a minimum, GASD school police feel the lobby windows and doors should be done, with follow-on project to do ground floor windows.
Security window film is not bullet-resistant! It is only a deterrent to gaining entry by the physical breaking of the glass. If the facility requires protection against bullets, consider the use of bullet-resistant glass and other materials.
Installation Cost for Security Film: Security Film prices range from as low as 5.50 / sq/ft to as high as 16$ per Sq/Ft. It varies with the thickness of the film. Also, there is a cost in the DOWSIL sealant used to anchor the film to the frame. This sealant cost is usually 1.00-2.00 $ per linear foot.
Estimated cost (2023) for the high school office lobby – 196 sq/ft x 16.00 - $3,136.00 + sealant and labor.
Security Access and Video GASD will need to replace the current door locking system as the key fobs are nearing the end of life with replacements estimating $200 each to replace.
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Maintain Existing Facilities & Expanding Programs GASD intends to continue to strengthen and expand academic programs aligned to the needs of our students for success post-graduation. Our facilities must accommodate for growth in student population and program expansion by increasing available instructional space (small group and classroom), upgrading furnishings for state-of-the-art science and engineering capabilities while maintaining existing facilities for high quality educational experiences.
Primary School
Wrestling Room and Locker Rooms
The current wing of the primary school adjacent to the cafeteria/gym houses the high school wrestling room and two large locker rooms. That space should be converted into classrooms which could be used for expanding programs such as a GASD preschool program. Classrooms in the primary are carpeted and for cleanliness and sanitation, the carpeting should be removed.
Elementary School
ELEMENTARY GYM & WINDOWS The current elementary school gym serves as both the cafeteria and gym for daily activity as well as an auxiliary gym for evening sports and events. The floor and stage need replaced/updated. The elementary school windows also need replaced. And carpeting removed from the classrooms.
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Middle School
The Greencastle-Antrim Middle School is most in need of general maintenance with some areas most critical to meet high quality standards consistent with the GA reputation. Hallways and stairwells are used for small group instruction spaces. The exterior of the building needs professional cleaning to remove the darkened stains from the brick and concrete. A space that was once used as a planetarium remains empty, but not conducive to instructional space due to the carpeted walls, dome ceiling, and limited lighting. The Middle School girl’s locker room will also need attention. More information is needed to proceed with a plan. The boys locker room was updated more recently.
High School
At the high school, the priority is to address the antiquated science labs with updated facilities that match the demands of modern science careers for research and development and can accommodate our growing STEAM program. GAHS students and community may benefit from a refreshed cafeteria environment with flexible seating options. Additionally, our high school gymnasium does not accommodate for specialized seating or easy mobility in the bleachers. We cannot accommodate the high school wrestling program at the high school facility. Wrestling is housed in the primary school.
GASD also believes that moving the high school Digital Foundations course requirement to the middle school as students are engaged with technology at a much earlier age now. GASD would like to replace that .5 high school credit with a course specifically targeting financial literacy as aligned to our GASD core competencies.
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Early Childhood Education Quality pre-kindergarten experiences have been proven to have a positive and high impact on student achievement. Expanding our educational program to include pre-kindergarten must be a consideration in the long-term facilities plan, as well as continuing to collaborate and partner with First Start Partnerships for our youngest Greencastle-Antrim residents.
Renovating the existing wrestling room and locker room wing at the primary school could result in additional classroom space to accommodate expanding programs and enrollment. An addition to the rear of the primary school would provide additional classroom space for growing programs which include special education classrooms, small group intervention and supports, and world language instruction. This could also be accomplished with an addition that connects the primary and elementary schools.
The Greencastle-Antrim School District owns approximately 44 acres across Leitersburg Road and Tayamentasachta. This land could be considered for an early childhood center that would accommodate children from birth to age 3. Creating a campus that could support children from birth to career!
44 acres; Rented out for farm use.
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Tayamentasachta Tayamentasachta Environmental Center is a unique asset to the district and must be maintained for environmental and outdoor education experiences. The barn is a landmark structure for the district and should be included in considerations for potential academic uses.
Future Hopes and Dreams NOTE: At the conclusion of the ACE building project (2024), the “tech house” that sits at the front of the property will be vacant.
BARN: The barn could be renovated to accommodate a district learning space that could provide authentic learning experiences to students beyond the traditional classroom. The size of the barn could accommodate modern instructional spaces that would enable students to be creative, innovative, and explore a variety of pathways to career options. Spaces could be designed for classes to use to put their learning and skills to practice! This structure could be the culmination of the past, present and future of the Greencastle-Antrim community.
“Tech House”: The tech house could be sacrificed for additional parking or be renovated to create a Functional Learning Facility designed to offer practical education in functional living skills for students with disabilities.
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History of Tayamentasachta
View the video, Tayamentasachta: Past, Present, and Future at: https://youtu.be/KRBosWp2OHk
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Extra-Curricular Experiences GASD recognizes the value that extra-curricular experiences add to the growth and development of our students. Therefore, the master plan reflects our commitment to facilities that can support and encourage growing participation in arts, interest clubs, student organizations, and athletic/wellness teams.
An additional gymnasium facility would support and encourage continued health and fitness for our students and community. Maintaining the existing gym would enable programs to more easily accommodate practice schedules, tournaments, and facility use by community groups. It would also provide space for our high school wrestling program and indoor percussion and guard groups currently practicing in the middle school cafeteria.
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Increasing Enrollment Capacity While enrollment projections indicate that we are stable in our population, the continued growth and development in the Greencastle-Antrim community may impact those projections. Therefore, it is wise of the district to prepare for the possibility that our enrollment could increase significantly and in a short time. Should that be the case, it is the priority of this community to remain on one campus. While smaller construction projects may accommodate moderate growth, the land exists with careful planning to respond to such growth.
Wellspan Property Donation; June 2023
The existing baseball and softball fields could be relocated to the donated property behind Tayamentasachta freeing up space for a new building. The Greencastle-Antrim intermediate building could be built to accommodate three grade levels. Situated between the elementary and middle schools, the building could shift as needed to respond to enrollment on either side of campus. For example, the building could accommodate grades 4-6 or 5-7 as needed. While it may not be needed for 50 years, the option remains available now to the district.
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HIGH SCHOOL ADDITION An option to consider in response to the district priorities and needs would be the addition to the existing high school facility to include a gymnasium and science wing. This addition (previously considered in the building project proposals) would be situated adjacent to the current gymnasium and behind the high school library.
This addition would compromise the parking capacity and the following accommodations may be considered.
The north turf field currently used as a practice field and to accommodate field hockey and soccer games is nearing its life expectancy. This turf field could be moved to the Wellspan property behind Tayamentasachta. This would open the space for campus parking and a roadway to connect the high school to the primary school as well as provide access to the Wellspan property without disruption to the existing environmental center. The current north turf field could service parking and be painted to accommodate marching band practices.
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Greencastle-Antrim School District
Recommended Priority Plan This piece of the plan is intended to be modified based on the actual availability of funds and must consider projects that may need to be done in an order based on impact to the district and future projects. While the target years may be goals, they would likely require significant advanced planning to accomplish by the identified dates. Board committees will work to secure estimated costs and specific years to accomplished based on availability of funds, or plans to secure funds by the desired date.
One-Three Year Plan Goal
Year
Estimated Cost
Main Office Safety Film – All 4 buildings Key Fob/Camera Surveillance System Athletic field feasibility and opportunity study (To be added to the plan once completed)
2023-2024
Three-Five Year Plan Goal
Year
Estimated Cost
High School Gym/Science Wing (Also address secondary parking)
2026-2027
Tayamentasachta Capital Campaign for Barn Renovation Early Childhood Education Elementary Gym Floor Renovate Primary Wrestling Room/Locker Room area (pending transfer of Wrestling Room to HS campus)
Five-Ten Year Plan Goal
Year
Estimated Cost
Primary and Elementary School Connection (Also address traffic patterns)
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Greencastle-Antrim School District
Financing The Plan
GAEF Naming Rights: The Greencastle-Antrim Education Foundation will partner with the district to use funds raised through district naming rights agreements toward this facilities master plan and closely aligned to the six priorities of the district. Annual Budget for Facilities Maintenance The Greencastle-Antrim School District Board of Directors has committed $300,000 in the annual general fund budget towards facilities maintenance. The Facilities Committee of the Board is charged with approving the allocation of these funds to district projects in coordination with the Chief Financial and Support Services Officer (CFSSO) and Director of Maintenance and Facilities. Bond Issue Payment Beginning in the 2022-2023 school year, funds have been allocated to capital reserves to build up towards a bond payment for a significant project in the district. Using $30 million as a target, but recognizing the volatility in the construction environment, the goal for the district is to be able to finance a major project within the coming years. A commitment to continue increasing this amount will help to accomplish this goal in a fiscally responsible approach. The funds reserved each year will be transferred to the capital reserve account to maintain savings towards the necessary projects included in this plan.
General Fund Allocation Targets
Actual Total (to be recorded annually)
School Year
2022-2023 2023-2024 2024-2025 2025-2026 2026-2027 2027-2028 2028-2029 2029-2030
$177,296 $378,393 $500,000 $750,000 $1,000,000 $1,250,000 $1,500,000 $1,750,000
$177,296
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Annual Transfer to Capital Reserves The amount allocated each year to capital reserves for the eventual use as a bond payment would increase the capital reserves account resulting in a balance increase outlined below. This increase does not include the interest earned. The actual balance should be recorded accurately in this plan each year.
Capital Reserves Balance
Actual Balance (to be recorded annually)
School Year
2022-2023 2023-2024 2024-2025 2025-2026 2026-2027 2027-2028 2028-2029 2029-2030
$3,175,384 $3,553,777 $4,053,777 $4,803,777 $5,803,777 $7,053,777 $8,553,777 $10,303,777
$3,175,384
Expiring Bond Payments
There are two bond payments in our GASD annual budget that will be fulfilled in the coming years.
G.O. Bonds Series of 2020 Payment of $912,700 in 2033 Payment of $249,900 in 2034
G.O. Bonds Series of 2021 Payment of $795,600 in 2033
This would equal $1,458,186 assumed available in 2033 with an additional $249,818 in 2034.
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APPENDIX A: Stakeholder Feedback
Fall 2023 Survey During the fall of 2023, presentations were made to stakeholder groups which included the GASD Advisory Council, GASD building faculty, the Greencastle-Antrim Education Foundation, and the GASD School Board of Directors. Following the presentations, the draft plan was made available with requests for stakeholders to identify priorities for the district in relationship to the timeline for addressing each potential “project.” Members of community organizations and our GASD Advisory Group B were also provide d copies of the draft plan and asked to provide feedback. That feedback is provided below so that it can serve as a guide over the course of the plan or updated as needed during the plan implementation to get more specific or targeted information from stakeholder groups.
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Narrative Feedback The narrative feedback included in this appendix contains only those responses that directly relate to the plan development and considerations that further explain responses or asks that items be considered. If comments included considerations to building specific needs, they were included in the section specific to those buildings. Comments that did not provide feedback specific to this GASD facilities plan were not included.
If you do not agree with the priorities, what feedback can you provide on what you would like to see adjusted or considered?
No disagreements at this time While I think all 6 are important and relevant, priority 2 and 3 should be the utmost priority - safety and security of students should be our #1 filter for making decisions through. Much improvement needs to come to our current buildings and programs before we consider adding additional programs. Extracurriculars are important but not as important as the curricula itself - it’s possible some aspects of GASD sports will have to temporarily suffer while buildings are expanded/renovated, but that’s a cost we should be willing to make for the benefit of our students’ learning and for extracurriculars in the long term. However, a singular campus is only a priority as long as it's practically sustainable. If necessary, perhaps a similar campus in another location would provide the same feel but be more practical. I like the singular campus, but I feel like in order to expand some of the schools, it may be necessary to move the sports fields to the extra land across the street. That would help to maintain all of the schools on the same campus, and would help to alleviate some of the traffic. If these are just broad categories yes with two caveats. With discreet initiatives, it's hard if not impossible to "prioritize" the priorities. For example, while I think that most would assign "safety" as the #1 priority, that doesn't mean that every single safety would or should rank better than expanding opportunities of every kind. A $1000 solution for a new wresting room (impossible I know...) would likely rank higher than a mult hundred thousand $$ rekeying of all the doors. That leads to my second concern. We need many more (all?) actually initiatives to rank and prioritize vs broad areas. While it would be nice to try to plan without concern to $$$, but ultimately, it all boils down to $$$...... As a possible seventh category i would include the academic competencies we're shooting for and/or something like "stakeholder engagement" (which one would hope would be similar - what the community wants and what all the other areas should be explicitly feeding into). ...with new programming such as pre-K being least priority so focus can be on meeting current commitments well. I agree with the concept and purpose of point number four. However, I'm concerned that adding this could overload a system that's already close to its capacity in handling tasks effectively. The risk here is that by trying to do too much, we might become a master of none. Instead, it might be wiser to focus on a select few tasks and excel at them. Additionally, It's important to consider what the community finds most valuable. If I remember, the addition of early ed was not favored. I agree with your plan and would like to offer my support through developing ideas for social emotional learning and curriculum and ideas for expanding the use of Tayamenasachta in the future if needed. There is so much creative learning potential, and if an investment is made in the barn, maybe the district would consider more experiential learning opportunities. This could be incorporated through a variation of a comprehensive school counseling curriculum or connected to the current character counts program. Would love to talk in the future if the opportunity presents. Linds0748@yahoo.com The opening line states "taking care of our students and community," but what about taking care of your teachers/ staff. Greencastle use to be the go to school district, and now staff are leaving due to administration issues that no one wants to fix. Instead of making GA something its not, lets fix the current problems. If you aren't from GA then you wouldn't understand the importance of the small town feel. Expanding this schools gets away from that vision. Fix the current problems in the school before expanding. Expanding the school district to the extend described will only cause more tension between staff and
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administration. I believe some expansion is necessary for the growing population; however, building a new child care center, relocating the athletic fields, remodeling a gym (that was already remodel with a new floor in 2014ish) and building a weight room can wait. Focus on the immediate projects such as additional classroom space and supporting the teachers (which isn't event top priority at this point). I believe there are many pre-school options out there (paid and free). Therefore #4 is not necessary A 2023 need for the elementary gym space is a substantial wall. It is unfair to our wellness teacher that her classroom space is constantly being inundated with cafeteria noise. This disrupts the learning of every child in the district. The curtain that is there now is absolutely not enough.
Also, I do not believe we need to spend funds on security window film.
Possibly some outdoor pickleball / basketball courts for wellness classes to use. Also classrooms for health and drivers ed at the high school.
Priority 1: Singular Campus Environment - Please use this space to share any thoughts/ideas that may not be reflected in the options above.
If the athletic complex were on this space, would that allow for an early childhood building on the main campus? Creating an athletic complex with those 44 acres (with both vehicle access and a walking bridge) would help alleviate traffic, and would free up the space between the secondary/primary side of campus to allow for further building expansion, Pre-K facility, etc. Consider a gated roadway to Eastern Blvd could be installed to ease in traffic congestion during major events. In addition to the expansion of the gymnasium/science dept. at GAHS, the music ensembles (choir and band) are growing, necessitating larger ensemble rehearsal spaces that are not multilevel. Both the band and choir rooms are multilevel and not ideal for true performing ensemble rehearsals. Multilevel rooms make it difficult to move equipment/instruments, have flexible seating, and proper musical storage (sheet music library, instrument storage, uniforms, etc.). I believe athletics are very important to the life of the campus. For some of our students, it is the only reason they come to school. If there would be a way to share the space between the early childhood learning center and a sports complex, that would be ideal. Over my career, I have worked for the district while also working for the county birth -3 program and have experience with Head Start programs. These programs would be tremendously beneficial to the district and the transition to kindergarten would be much smoother. I don't think many homeowners would be very happy about a road being put in the area of the North Field. I also think that the Primary and Elementary schools are tucked away right now and that helps me, as a parent, feel safer. It also helps with some security issues. If we knock down trees and put a road through there, and even consider opening that up to Eastern Ave, I think that would be compromising our students' safety. I also think it would be a shame to knock down all of those trees behind Tayamentasachta. Excavating that area would make that area less serene and peaceful. It would take away from the refuge that it is. I also have been on field trips to Tayamentasachta and have been back on the paths while Mrs. Barnes was teaching the kids. It's very hard to hear her when you get close to the highway, in spite of all of the trees surrounding it. If you put fields right against the highway, it's going to be very loud and noisy. I also don't think it's a safe option. When considering an early childhood facility across Leitersburg Street I would also seriously consider putting it some sort of walkway above Leitersburg street for students to safely cross the street. Those Pre-K students will be making use of the entire campus as well as our current students will be building connections with the Pre-K and this would be the safest way to have children cross this busy street.
if possible preserve the wellspan property within Tayamentasachta and use property across leitersburg for expansion
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Nearly all of the high school proposal are just focused on athletics. Why are athletics always the priority? We have bathrooms that don't work, and dated classrooms and many needs in STEAM wing, yet all the actual plans seem to be athletics focused. This seems a misguided priority.
Perhaps a preschool or childcare for employees and families.
High school science is way too crowded and should be a top priority
This should be driven by the other priorities. It's how we execute them, not an end in and of itself.
Perhaps GCPS/wrestling...area would be better repurposed. Early childhood options has been a need in this district for years. It is one of the reasons why I took a large hiatus from teaching once my children were born. There was no quality option in Greencastle. I have 8 years prior teaching experience, then I stopped for 7 years to be home with my children. Now I have returned and am 3 years in here at Greencastle. This need in our area has skyrocketed since my return, so many families are in need of quality early-childhood educational options. In addition I fully support the proposal of combining the elementary & primary buildings as 1 large facility. I think pursuing this option would not only increase instructional cohesion and collaboration among grade levels (especially grades 2/3) but also because the proposal indicates that the space would be utilized by special education programs, this would allow for increased cohesion and collaboration among our special education teams. This would create an increased supportive environment for our districts most intensive student needs. These rooms could be designed with special education services in mind. In addition it would be my hope that the combining of the two buildings would help decrease the traffic issues we have at arrival and dismissal, which would support the priority of safety and security. Locker Room space for our teams to use as their own when the teams are in-season. We could decorate, give out lockers, put up quotes and build our team culture with a locker room of our own(in-season). Also the ability to have a storage area for our equipment. With teaching at the primary school, I feel like there is a strong need in our community for early interventions and education opportunities for our youngest learners. I liked the idea that was shared concern the North field parking...but ONLY if it would not impact any extra curriculars or sports. As a field hockey 'alumni parent' while this might not be a big or as popular sport as some, it holds a value to a select group of our GA girls and i would be against any renovations that would impact a sport losing a season. Also it was mentioned about earliest records for campus growth and i recall discussions when my children first began at GA in early 2000s. Talk concerning the property across the road was to build a 5/6 combo building or also a stand alone Kindergarten bldg. In otherwards i dont think we should rule out the area for instructional buildings just because it is across Leitersburg Rd. Depending on the building that might not create near the issues we are concerned about and it is a large enough piece of property not to be ignored. I feel one campus is extremely important, but i also dont feel utilizing that property still doesnt give us the one campus feel. Traffic flow and parking are more important than an athletic addition. The progression of this plan is important to completion of this priority. We will need to complete the high school wrestling room before we remove the wrestling room from the primary building. This is why I feel the Science wing/HS Gym is priority 1. This also means it would be the best interest in the school to move fields to Wellspan
Traffic flow and parking are more important than an athletic addition.
Primary school has a high level of need for more classroom space for current students. This would be more of a priority than using the space for PRe K I believe that all renovations and projects related to academics should be our priority during years 1-3. This should include, but is not limited to, increasing educational space per teacher needs at GAPS and updating GAHS as needed.
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I do not believe we should be removing the wrestling room without replacing it with an actual wrestling room. Wrestling mats cannot be rolled out daily and should not be in the same gym/area with basketball. The noise alone would be horrendous. It would be a disservice to our current students and wrestlers for students who are not of school age yet. I've had to fight for this wrestling team for almost 15 years now and trying to get a new room built and now it feels like the only thing we have will be taken away and just expected to figure it out. Unless there is a specific wrestling room (not shared during season); I'm extremely disappointed with this part of the plan as it alienates our team more than we already are.
Perhaps a large multi purpose space connecting the primary and elementary would be an excellent consideration.
Pickle ball/ basketball courts / drivers ed health classroom at high school
Priority 2: Safety and Security - Please use this space to share any thoughts/ideas that may not be reflected in the options above. Determine the cost of installing safety film on windows that may need replaced. If replacement windows could include the film and there is a plan to replace these earlier than 5-10 years, that would make sense, with the anticipation that the film be added or the windows be replaced within the 5-10-year timeframe. I think these are important but to my knowledge what we have works for now. While maybe not the best option, it is a functioning option. Update the way students enter the high school in the rear of the building. Students just ring a buzzer and the front office staff let them in. Students have stressed to me that they feel that anyone could just possibly enter the building this way.
Doesn't affect learning- but reasonable safety stuff makes sense.
doors at elementary get stuck open often, keys don't work quickly or consistently, video footage grainy
It depends on how long the keys will work. I would separate keys from surveillance (and rank the latter higher.)
Enough Keys or a system for all coaches in our program to have access to the buildings they will use. I know I'm chosing 1-3 years for most of these and while I understand financially that may not be feasible, each are important and shouldn't be put off. We've waited too long as a district to address so many of these that they all need to be addressed sooner than later. Consider revising safety procedures for extracurricular events, and perhaps parking and traffic flow on campus Mechanical keys and rfid chips already in our badges have worked really well at every other school/private jobs I have ever been at. The keys are time consuming and don't always work. This could cause catastrophic issues if we were to need to lock/unlock a door immediately. I'm hoping that is the direction we are going. Teachers need access to every building and classroom as a safety measure for a lockdown situation. Get rid of the cyberkeys. They are infuriating and expensive and a waste of taxpayer funds. I would consider an emergency "call" box on the back trail at Tayamentasachta; AED is needed at Tayamentasachta (I suggested the pavilion but have been turned down due to lack of funding); Lighting around farmhouse, barn, pavilion, and longhouse that is conducive to the natural world at night is also needed. For example, motion lighting, or low voltage lighting since it is an environmental center and we have many nocturnal animals living here. When adding elements to Tayamentasachta, we want to maintain the purpose of conserving the natural environment.
Police vehicle - gift or partial gift, auction former police vehicles?
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