---

Perkiomen Valley School District School Board members and administrative team members came together to recognize the official start of South Elementary School’s renovation project on Friday, June 7.

The renovation project will take place over the summer and result in some much-needed improvements to the district’s oldest building. Some of the improvements will include:

• Replacing doors and windows to improve safety and building temperature
• Improving door thresholds
• Resurfacing the playground
• Replacing hallway tiles and classroom flooring
• Improving drainage behind the school on the grass fields
• Replacing exterior building panels

The project was approved by the School Board in January and will be completed through the parameters of the federal Guaranteed Energy Savings Act, which enables school districts to forgo the traditional bidding process and instead work with a consultant to secure an Energy Savings Company or ESCO, to complete the project. By working with an ESCO, the renovation project is guaranteed to generate energy savings that, over time, cover a portion of the project costs.

Perkiomen Valley School District is working with the consultant PHM Associates to manage the project, which is being completed by the contractor, CM3. Work will continue throughout the summer and conclude when the school year begins. Another round of improvements is planned for the summer of 2020. At that time, the school’s parking lot will be resurfaced and the school kitchen will be expanded.

Part of the work completed by CM3 will also include a few other projects, such as the installation of LED lighting in all buildings, the replacement of approximately 37 windows at the high school, and the replacement of two HVAC units at Middle School East. This work, combined with the improvements at South, is estimated to cost $9 million. The projects will be paid for through a bond issue that was approved earlier this year.

Other capital improvements are also planned for other buildings in the district this summer. Some of the work will include:

• Resurfacing the parking lots and driveways at Perkiomen Valley Middle School East
• Auditorium upgrades at Perkiomen Valley High School, and Middle Schools East and West
• Weeding, seeding and feeding of athletic fields throughout the district

Finally, the district is also in the beginning stages of planning for installation of synthetic turf at Thomas J. Keenan Stadium, the baseball field, and hilltop (two practice fields behind the high school). An engineering firm was hired in May to design plans for all three locations and is working to secure necessary permits. The School Board is expecting an update in July.