Spring-Ford architects present four facility scenarios; costs range from $30 million to $58 million

GKO Architects presented four districtwide facility scenarios to the Spring‑Ford Area School District board on Aug. 20 that lay out options to relieve building space shortages, add capacity for full‑day kindergarten and move fifth and/or eighth grades as part of a longer capital plan.

The presentation, led by Kevin Godshall, principal of GKO Architects, mapped districtwide enrollment projections from the Sundance study, building condition surveys and multiple construction schemes. "Very simply, we wanna address the space shortages and buildings that currently exist," Godshall told the board, describing a mix of renovations, small additions and larger additions as the primary approaches.

Why it matters: the options affect how many students each elementary school will serve, whether the district moves from half‑day to full‑day kindergarten, and whether the ninth‑grade and eighth‑grade facilities are repurposed. The board will use the scenarios and budget estimates to guide further discussion at finance and property committee meetings in September and to set priorities before any capital vote.

Key findings and assumptions

GKO said the study separates building condition (infrastructure) and program/space use (how rooms are used). The firm assumed current full‑time special‑education programs (autistic support, intensive learning support) would remain at their present locations and that…