MIFFLINBURG — School board members, pondering $15.4 million to $16.5 million in renovations and additions to Mifflinburg Area High School, gave unanimous approval Tuesday to a project feasibility study.
The need is clear. The school, built in 1952, is at 98 percent capacity, board members were told in a presentation by S. Dwight Knouse II, of Hayes Large Architects, Altoona. The last improvements to the building were made 13 years ago.
After facility assessments were made of all district schools, Hayes said, the most critical needs were found at the high school.
Enrollment at the grades nine through 12 school is at 764 students, while its capacity is 777.
Knouse said his firm’s recommendations include replacing heat, ventilation and air conditioning systems with a geothermal heat pump, making improvements to electrical and plumbing systems, installing a keyless entry system, ceiling and flooring repair, modifications to comply with the Americans With Disabilities Act, renovating four science labs, adding a classroom and hazardous material abatement.
The project, if approved, would be done in phases and be completed in August 2012, he said.
With Tuesday's approval, the firm will plan to submit schematic designs by Nov. 10. The plan also calls for design development to be completed by Feb. 9 and contracts to be presented for consideration on Aug. 10.
Oct. 12, 2010, would be the target date for awarding contracts, and, if the plan is followed as presented, construction would begin Nov. 29, 2010.
In studying the facilities, Hayes Architects also looked at enrollment projections, educational adequacy of the existing facilities and architectural standards for quality, style, systems and sustainability.
Enrollments in Mifflinburg schools are dropping, the firm’s report said. The kindergarten to grade five enrollment of 974 is expected to drop to 957 in five years; the grades six to 12 enrollment of 1,300 is expected to drop to 1,103 in five years.
In eight years, by 2016-17, a further decline is foreseen, putting K-5 enrollment at 952, a 2.3 percent drop, and 6-12 enrollment at 1,079, a 17 percent drop.
The 10 percent upswing from current numbers, however, would put those enrollments at 1,071 and 1,430 respectively, the report said.
Knouse’s report included no plans for the district’s other school buildings, but improvements to them are an option as well.
The middle school, built in 1972, has an enrollment of 536 students and a functional capacity of 672. The intermediate school, built in 2005, has an enrollment of 313 students and a capacity of 450.
Of the four elementary buildings, Mifflinburg was built in 1978 and has an enrollment of 451 students and a capacity of 598; Buffalo Crossroads, built in 1952, has an enrollment of 66 students and a capacity of 88; Laurelton was built in 1952, has an enrollment of 67 and a capacity of 88; and New Berlin, also built in 1952, has an enrollment of 77 and capacity of 88.
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