UPDATED – 9/19/2024
Social media often spreads misinformation, rumors, and emotionally charged opinions. It’s easy to get caught up in the comments, but repeated claims don’t make them true. Please follow our website for the factual information as it relates to our elementary schools. Years of inaction have forced the district to address the infrastructure and educational spaces of both schools simultaneously. The past has placed us in the position we are today. The board is carefully considering its options, and we’ve created this FAQ to separate fact from fiction. This will be updated regularly with the latest information.
1. Why is the MASD master plan using a HVAC consultant(sitelogiQ) to close the Valley and an Architect(Crabtree, Rohrbach & Associates) to expand Lyter?
Crabtree, Rohrbach & Associates(CRA) completed a district-wide feasibility study in May of 2020. In it, it was identified that both elementary schools had aging infrastructure and classroom spaces. Four years later, sitelogiQ was brought in to evaluate the feasibility study of CRA and have the district get a second opinion. It was pointed out while everything has been maintained considering most things are beyond end-of-life. SitelogiQ is much more than a HVAC consultant, they have experience across the whole process of constructing facilities through managing buildings. They are a company with local ties, local employees, and local experience. They concluded a consolidation at Lyter Elementary makes the most sense financially for the district. You can find all of the complete studies here.
2. Why not consolidate at Loyalsock Valley?
Loyalsock Valley is the smaller of the 2 elementary schools. Loyalsock Valley has 40,920 square feet of space and Lyter has 70,270 square feet of space. It was determined with the current decline in enrollment, approximately 91,670 square feet of space is needed for a combined school. This would require 50,750 sq feet of additional new construction at Loyalsock Valley as compared to 21,400 sq feet of new construction at Lyter. This would be an additional $11-$13 million* in construction costs over consolidation at Lyter Elementary. If the construction costs are not enough, there is not enough water supply for over 500 people on the Valley property. The waste system could not handle the additional population. Although the land is there, the utilities to service a building of that size and population are not. Finally, the district would need to add transportation costs to bus over 300 students from Lyter boundary areas to the Valley.
*based on $400-$450 per sq ft for new construction costs
3. Why is consolidation even being considered? Keep them both!
There are 2 main reasons for considering consolidation. The first is declining enrollment. Our 3rd day enrollment for the 2024-25 school year has Lyter at 380 students and Loyalsock Valley at 195 students. Both buildings have multiple classrooms sitting empty. It is not a good use of funds to keep 2 buildings with empty rooms. At a total of 575 elementary students, neither school holds them all, but with a small addition at Lyter Elementary, K-4 could be consolidated to one location. In the 2016-17 school year, Lyter Elementary had an enrollment of 522 students. We have dropped from a high of 767 K-4 students in 2015-16 to 575 today. That is nearly 200 students less in 9 years and the projections indicate a further decrease to less than 500 in 8 years.
The declining enrollment is a result of a lack of housing, lack of childcare, and a general decrease in population in Lycoming County. While Pennsylvania’s population grew by 2.1%, Lycoming County’s has dropped by almost 3% in the last 12 years.
The second reason is financial. SitelogiQ indicated over $36 million dollars would be needed to rehabilitate the buildings and grounds at both schools. These estimates do not include any educational needs. This is money simply to begin replacing aging infrastructure. This is money the district simply cannot afford. Through consolidation, savings could offset the costs of additions and renovations to Lyter Elementary. Yes, the project would add to our debt, but the operational savings could potentially cover those costs.
Updating and maintaining 2 elementary schools with declining enrollment cannot be justified to the taxpayers.
4. Why are you considering this with all the time K-4 students will be on busses?
The distance between the schools is 4.6 miles. The time on the bus from the Valley to Lyter is about 8 minutes. This does increase traffic around Lyter, but when scheduled correctly, it does not place a bunch of busses at Lyter all at once. They will be staggered to allow for a smooth flow of bus traffic in the morning. The district can also reassess its routes to lower the time small children spend on the bus with this change.
5. Why are you taking the Little League Fields for construction?
First, no decision has been made on construction. If construction does occur, the district is not taking all of the fields. Although it is district property, the board is committed to leaving the Little League field right where it is. Until a complete engineering and design study are completed there are no decisions on the smaller field on that property.
6. Where can I find more information?
MASD will be holding town hall meetings in the very near future to present our progress towards a decision on elementary schools. Information will be presented on current building conditions, financial position of the district, declining enrollment trends, and different proposals to solve a complex problem that has been years in the making. Our website will have all of the latest information. MASD will ensure that meeting dates and times are widely publicized.