Tamaqua Area School District will forge ahead with a district-wide feasibility study.

The school board’s finance committee on Tuesday recommended requesting proposals for the feasibility study.

Superintendent Ray Kinder said after the meeting that the district’s buildings range from the 1960s to 2000.

“The reason for the RFP process is to determine the costs associated with the study,” Kinder said. “It allows for more perspectives on the possible projects.”

The cost could be anywhere from $5,000 to $30,000.

The committee’s recommendation comes after Kinder discussed the possibility of a feasibility study with the school board last month.

Kinder said he met recently with EI Associates from the Harrisburg area, adding that the district has many capital expense needs.

He cited secure entry; security surveillance in all of the district’s buildings; parking lots and driveways; exterior lighting; track resurfacing; wiring upgrades; HVAC systems in multiple buildings; auditorium lighting; storage issues; bleacher repair; windows; flooring; STEM labs and technology upgrades.

Kinder said Tri-Valley School District recently had a feasibility study done and he suggested one for Tamaqua.

He said he previously obtained a price on how much a feasibility study would cost and it was less than he thought it would be, adding that it’s not necessarily a budget item.

Technology

The school board’s Finance Committee on Tuesday recommended the purchase of wireless technology and miscellaneous hardware for implementation of customized learning initiative using 2018-19 funds at a cost not to exceed $75,000.

Additionally, the committee also recommended purchases for wireless equipment from vendors price not to exceed $175,000. The district cost is expected to be $87,500 or less after discounts are applied.

The district is looking at getting some devices, such as Chromebooks and iPads, into each one of its areas, high school, middle school and elementary.