Penn Cambria OKs plan for campus

School board formally approves project that will place students at centralized location

CRESSON -- The Penn Cambria School Board formally approved to move forward with a plan that will eventually place all students on a centralized campus in Cresson.

During Tuesday's school board meeting, the board approved the schematic design and project cost estimate for renovations at the high school to build a two-story elementary school addition, Superintendent Jamie Hartline said.

The project, which was designed by Core Architects and SitelogIQ in conjunction with the district, is estimated to cost $28.2 million, Hartline said.

In August 2024, David Nitchkey, Core Architects' principal and lead planner/designer, said the new addition would be located on the northern side of the high school -- facing the district's athletic field -- near the existing cafeteria where parking spaces currently exist. It would have a separate, secure entrance from the high school, he said.

Under the plan the board agreed to move forward with, the pre-primary school would be restructured for pre-K through first grade and would house the district's administration office. The new addition would house students in grades 2-6, while the high school would be restructured for grades 7-12, Hartline said.

"The board formally approved to move forward with that design that will put all of our students on one campus here in Cresson at the high school," Hartline said, adding the board is "hopeful" to bid the project by the end of this year, possibly in December, he said.

"If all were to go well and fall into place," construction for the two-story addition could potentially take place in 2026 or 2027, Hartline said, and students would be relocated to Cresson after the project is complete.

"We will look to work our way through the process," he said.

Mirror Staff Writer Matt Churella is at 814-947-7520.