Could Lehighton Area School District procure a $2 million grant to be used for the potential construction of a new elementary center?

An update on the Alternative Clean Energy Program Grant will be given when the school board's building committee holds a workshop meeting at 7 tonight in the administration board room.In March, the board approved a resolution to seek the grant from the Pennsylvania Commonwealth Financing Authority to be used for the potential construction of the elementary center as a "high performance building."Then in April, the board agreed to seek state funding for a new elementary center when it authorized the submission of a request to the Pennsylvania Department of Education to combine the previously submitted four elementary PlanCon project submittals into one elementary PlanCon project by the administration and the architect, EI Associates, for the project known as the new primary/elementary center.Previously, the district submitted paperwork for funding to renovate its four elementary schools. In essence, the vote was to switch the paperwork for a new elementary center.The proposed site of the elementary center would be at the southwest corner of the property already owned by the district at the high school/administration building campus, behind the varsity softball field.Construction of a new elementary center would place students in kindergarten through fifth grade in one building, and close each of the district's four existing elementary schools.The district has been faced with a decision to either renovate its four elementary school buildings, all built in the 1950s, or replace them with a new elementary center.District officials say costs for either scenario, new construction or renovations, are projected to be about the same at about $32.5 million. However, a major issue is whether state funding will be available.In addition, the district is looking at $10.7 million to renovate the middle school, along with $9.3 million to renovate the high school.That brings the total projected building costs throughout the school district to $52.5 million.Also in April, the board voted 5-4 to realign the district classes by moving the fifth-grade students back to the elementary level.As a result, students in kindergarten through fifth grade will attend the elementary schools or proposed elementary center, students in grades six through eight will attend the middle school, and the high school will still serve students in grades nine through 12.Also listed on tonight's agenda is a Trane discussion for the middle school facility.In March, the board approved signing a letter to proceed with Pennsylvania Maryland Trane's Comprehensive Solutions Program to identify potential facility and operational improvements to reduce related costs at Lehighton Area Middle School.