Hempfield Area middle school consolidation, timeline topic of meeting

Leaders in the Hempfield Area School District are hosting an informational session this week to discuss possible middle school consolidation plans.

The session is scheduled for 7 p.m. Monday in the Harrold Middle School auditorium, 1368 Middletown Road.

Officials will discuss consolidating sixth, seventh and eighth grade students into Wendover and West Hempfield middle schools starting in the 2023-24 school year. They also plan to discuss temporarily moving ninth grade students from the high school to Harrold Middle School while the high school undergoes a multimillion-dollar renovation project.

The goal is to limit the number of students in the high school during the project, which involves tearing down the building to its structural system and rebuilding everything as new.

Discussions during the meeting will include rationale for the possible change, benefits and challenges and a timeline if officials were to move forward with the proposal.

The idea was proposed last month. At the time, officials looked to a districtwide feasibility study completed this year as rationale for the project. The study examined each of the district’s buildings, looking at electrical, mechanical and architectural issues. The study also included projected enrollments for the next several school years.

Based on those estimates, Wendover and West Hempfield are able to house all middle school students and staff while having space for possible growth, officials said.

Board action on the proposal could take place as early as August.

Monday’s session will be preceded by a board workshop, scheduled for 5:30 p.m. in the administration boardroom, 4347 Route 136.

During the workshop, school directors will receive an update from the project architect on programming planning.

The high school renovation is in the design phase, which could take about a year. Construction could begin as early as June 2023. The goal is to have the project finished for the 2025-26 school year.