Op/Ed: Quaker Valley's need for a new high school has been known for decades

Quaker Valley needs a new high school. The urgency of the need unites our community, and the district and board are unified in meeting this need.

Although differences of opinion on project specifics are to be expected, the community has repeatedly and resoundingly voiced its support for the new high school currently being planned and to be located at 210 Camp Meeting Road.

The need for a new high school has been known for decades; and despite our best efforts at rehabilitating the present building, it is approaching the end of its useful life as a high school.

The board, with community input, has set forth a clear path forward. We are committed to providing a modern, safe and efficient new building. Extensive planning has produced a design intended to be conducive to learning, providing an optimal environment for our students and teachers.

Years of elections have produced board after board of elected officials who unanimously support this project. This community’s expectations of this board are clear: We are to build a new high school.

Initially, the preference was to remain on the current land; however, the most credible engineers presented abundant evidence of the infeasibility of doing so. The current building occupies roughly 14 acres, less than four of which are above the 100-year flood plain.

Even if we were to consider building up the lower portion of the property, disturbing the floodplain would involve multiple state and federal agencies, and cost taxpayers five to eight years and millions of dollars seeking permitting that we have little confidence we’d receive.

The current land is largely fill soil, including a coal seam that has caused groundwater flooding and resulted in damage to the building as it is. A new building on that land would not be immune to these enduring challenges.

Building on this land would also likely require the relocation of the current student body to a suboptimal location, such as offsite trailers, for multiple years. This board will not deprive a generation of students of their entire high school experience.

A rigorous search process in partnership with a commercial real estate company led us to secure a new site which resolves these challenges and offers ample room for expansion, sufficient parking facilities, and improved traffic flow for the safety and convenience of our students and staff.

Beyond addressing physical constraints, the new Quaker Valley High School facility will usher in a new era of education. Our teachers will finally have adequately appointed classrooms, flooded with natural light and optimal airflow, fostering a healthier and more engaging learning environment.

The new building will cater to the infrastructure needs of a tech-forward curriculum, empowering our students to thrive in the digital age.

It is essential to address the cost associated with such a project, as any municipal infrastructure undertaking represents a substantial investment.

As fellow taxpayers, the board is committed to executing this project in the most cost-effective manner possible. In our recent meetings, we have emphasized our dedication to funding the project within the Act 1 tax index each year.

Furthermore, we are bound by legal constraints regarding the amount of debt the district can carry and the maximum expenditure on a building (Act 34). Overbuilding, overborrowing and overtaxing are not viable options for us.

First, these concepts run counter to QVSD’s long-standing approach to financial stewardship. Second, they are legally impermissible.

The safety of our school community is also of paramount importance. In light of recent events, building security and protection against bad actors have emerged as critical concerns. We are fortunate to have one of the most renowned trainers in the ALICE safety program leading our school police officer staff.

Their expertise, coupled with regular collaboration with local emergency response teams, ensures a robust security protocol. Additionally, our commitment to public health and safety is reflected in design decisions that prioritize adaptability to evolving needs, accommodating shifting requirements while delivering a high-quality education.

Communities that invest in education thrive. The needs of modern education models demand that we adapt and provide our students and teachers with the best possible environment. By investing in a new Quaker Valley High School, we are investing in the future of our community, empowering our students, and honoring our commitment to excellence.

Together, let us forge ahead and create a brighter, more prosperous future for Quaker Valley.

— The Quaker Valley School Board