Mifflin County academy director outlines small-to-mid capital needs and cautious plan for enrollment growth

Missus Hicks, who leads the district’s academy program, told the Mifflin County School District board she spent the past year compiling program and facility data and meeting with staff and contractors to identify maintenance and near‑term capital needs.

Her review identified both small items — for example a culinary gas valve replacement quoted at about $8,549 and water‑cooler valve stations — and larger deferred maintenance such as HVAC and fire alarm improvements. Hicks said the academy received a $70,000 security grant this year to address exterior doors and thresholds and that some original, high‑quality doors will be refurbished rather than replaced. She described many cost estimates as preliminary and emphasized the list is not a prioritized project plan.

Hicks said the district now has the academy in its facilities maintenance system and that she and facilities staff meet regularly to track repairs. “I have spent the last year doing that. I have things compiled together regarding the facilities,” she said.

She told the board that modest investments — “smaller” meaning roughly six‑figure projects rather than multimillion‑dollar construction — over the next two to three years would put the academy in a position to decide whether growth should take the form of adding programs or building physical additions. “If we were to invest in these smaller projects, I think that that would make a big impact on the facilities for the academy to be able to be in a situation in two or three years down the road to really be able to evaluate where we stand for growth,” Hicks said.

Hicks described two kinds of audits that can guide decisions: an energy audit (focused on capital cost versus long‑term savings for items such as boilers and lighting) and an educational facilities audit (which maps instructional program growth to required square footage and related systems). She suggested delaying a full educational audit until some immediate facility items are addressed and recommended an energy audit or targeted studies first.

On instructional capacity, Hicks said the academy’s instructors generally prefer deeper, smaller classes rather than maximizing enrollment. She said the current instructional goal is to cap class size at 20 students while the district evaluates where space and program growth make sense. “That is my goal to stay at that 20 until we can have some of these other discussions,” Hicks told the board.

Board members asked about the process for approving individual projects and studies; Hicks said she had consulted peer directors and identified potential firms for audits. She also said some historical facility documents may be retrievable from former staff or records.

The board did not take a formal vote on a comprehensive facilities study during the item; Hicks said the documents she provided are preliminary and requested direction on next steps.

Ending — The district’s academy director recommended targeted, lower‑cost investments now and a program‑driven evaluation later. Board members asked for the compiled list of quotes and estimates to be shared for future prioritization and budget planning.