Letter to the editor: Franklin Regional building costs

With Franklin Regional elementary schools’ capacity of 1,800 students, and enrollment at 1,483, how was it necessary to launch a new building program? Clearly, there exists sufficient space for classroom reconfiguration for collaborative learning in the existing three elementary buildings.

Franklin Regional’s plans for a $58 million elementary campus have escalated to a much larger total cost because of excessive site costs and Sloan building excessive renovation costs. Where does this leave the middle and high school students who have the most urgent need to gain from collaborative, project-based learning?

With a Franklin Regional debt ceiling of $122 million, and documented middle and high school repair costs of $41 million, less than $23 million will be available for instructional upgrades to the higher grades that are soon to be graduated.

Why is Franklin Regional separating the site preparation bids from the school construction bids on the Sloan campus? Separate bids will not change how excessive the Sloan campus cost is. With no disclosure of how excessive the first bid costs were, we do not know what future improvements will be possible for the middle and high schools.

Strategic decisions for all students are awaited.

See www.restoretaxpayertrust.com for more details.

Lynn Full

Murrysville