The Panther Valley School District hopes lightning strikes twice, as it goes after another state grant for school improvements this year.

The district received one of the largest Public School Facility Improvement grants in the county last year, funding numerous repairs at the high school and intermediate school.

Now, the district hopes to receive another grant this year for work on its aging elementary school, which needs boiler system and electrical upgrades, Superintendent Dave McAndrew said.

On Wednesday, the school board approved a contract with GSL Consulting to assist the district with attaining that grant.

“GSL comes in and helps you write the grants. They also advocate for you in Harrisburg to get the grants,” McAndrew said. “Last year, we received this grant for a million dollars. This is where we got our roofs down and all the windows.

“Most school districts across the state have applied for this grant,” he said. “I feel like their advocacy would help us to get this grant.”

The grants are for up to $5 million, and GSL would receive 12% of whatever grant the district receives and would get nothing if the district doesn’t receive the grant, the superintendent said.

More advocacy

McAndrew will be advocating for continued adequacy funding for the district next week in Harrisburg, ahead of Gov. Josh Shapiro’s state budget announcement, he said.

The school district has been underfunded by $18 million according to a study, he said. So far, the district has received $4 million in adequacy funding toward closing that gap.

“This is the second of nine yearly installments of $2 million,” McAndrew said after the meeting. “We are hopeful that they continue to make these payments.”