Acmetonia school welcomes former Colfax students

The seats are filled, the lockers labeled and the bulletin boards decorated in the new wing of Acmetonia Elementary School.

The students in fourth through sixth grades from Colfax Elementary School transitioned into Acmetonia this week after more than a year of renovations at the school. Acmetonia now houses all Allegheny Valley School District students in kindergarten through sixth grade.

“I like that there’s a whole other wing for the upper elementary (students),” said Emma Anderson, 12, in sixth grade.

The $13 million project included adding four classrooms for each of Colfax’s three grades and two rooms each for special education and special uses such as reading and math enrichment. There also are new music and technology rooms. The gym and stage area were expanded, and upgrades were made to the kitchen and cafeteria.

“The classrooms are really modern and really clean and nice,” said Brooke Taliani, 11, in sixth grade.

Students also showed excitement for the new, bigger gymnasium and that the new building is air conditioned.

The sixth-graders will only be in the building for the next few months before they transition to seventh grade, which is housed at the high school. The students are taking it in while they can.

“It’s kind of cool to be the oldest,” said Patrick Wylly, 12, in sixth grade.

Fifth-grade science teacher Anthony Pototo said he’s spent his entire 15-year career at Colfax, so the transition to the new building was an adjustment.

“I think the teachers have transitioned well and the students have transitioned well,” he said. “We’re enjoying it.”

He said the students and staff are lucky to have modern classrooms and learning tools.

“It’s nice, all the newness,” he said.

Principals Jen Vecchio, who leads fourth through sixth grades, and Greg Heavner, who leads the younger grades, have been working together to make sure the transition is as smooth as possible for everyone.

“We have not hit many roadblocks,” Vecchio said. “The kids are loving being with each other.”

Heavner said all of the planning they’ve done has helped the transition.

“We started this last year, planning out every aspect of how we’re going to do this,” he said.

The district held a series of meetings this month for parents to walk through the new building with their children and get information on the changes students would experience in the transition.

An official ribbon-cutting ceremony and celebration will be held at 6:30 p.m. Jan. 17 at the school. During that time, officials will open a time capsule that was found in the ground during the renovations. The event will be open to the public and will include entertainment and refreshments.

Emily Balser is a Tribune-Review staff writer. You can contact Emily at 724-226-4680, emilybalser@tribweb.com or via Twitter @emilybalser.