KCSD: New Liberty-Curtin School could open as soon as 2025 school year
BALD EAGLE TOWNSHIP, PA – The Keystone Central School District now has a timeline as the district looks to construct a new Liberty-Curtin Elementary School in Blanchard.
Thursday night’s school board meeting heard superintendent Jacquelyn Martin provide an update from Jeff Straub with consultant Crabtree, Rohrbaugh and Associates. That firm earlier this month had presented the community with a list of options toward upgrading or replacing the present Blanchard school, with the consensus new construction made the most sense.
Dr. Martin said the school board will be asked at its November meeting to give its approval for the Crabtree group to proceed to determine a draft of project costs before proceeding “full-bore.” If the project stays on timeline, the new building would open in August of 2025. The superintendent noted there is a location on the district’s website for public comment on the project and so far, two district residents have responded, both favorably.
The superintendent reported on a new articulation agreement with Johnstown-based Penn Highlands Community College. She said she talked earlier on Thursday with Trish Corle, Vice-President of Student Services with the school. She said Corle told her Penn Highlands is looking to expand into Centre County and Dr. Martin encouraged her to consider Clinton County. The school presently has facilities in Altoona, Ebensburg, Huntingdon and Somerset, in addition to Johnstown.
The board Thursday night approved the Penn Highlands agreement and also one with Commonwealth University and its campuses in Lock Haven, Bloomsburg and Mansfield, guaranteeing admission for qualifying students from the Keystone Central School District, while also providing scaled tuition assistance when certain criteria are met.
The board also heard from Michele Whitney from Clinton County Watchdog, a taxpayer group. Whitney raised questions about the district’s policy relative to females entering boys’ bathrooms. Board president Tracy Smith said there had been a high school incident and punishment was meted out; Smith said there has been no change in the district policy. Whitney also raised general questions about the district curriculum. She departed when it was noted her four minutes allotted for public speakers had been exceeded.
