Kutztown Area School District weighs $26 million facilities plan; summer HVAC package and possible Greenwich elementary closure draw heavy public comment

Kutztown Area School District leaders presented a multi-part facilities update on March 3 that combined short-term work (a recommended summer HVAC package at the middle school) with the longer-term feasibility study the district has been running since 2022.

Administrators and consultants described a preferred "Model 3" option that focuses on targeted additions and reconfigurations rather than building multiple new elementary schools. EI Associates said Model 3 would add about 7,700 square feet versus 22,000–25,000 square feet for larger options and would address roughly $8.0 million of ranked deficiencies across district buildings while keeping the district's instructional capacity aligned with projected enrollment (about 1,374 students).

At a scoping level McClure representatives outlined specific work for the middle school: classroom HVAC replacements, new air handlers for larger spaces, a rooftop DX unit for the band room, kitchen HVAC upgrades, panel and pumping work and some exterior maintenance. McClure estimated the full middle-school HVAC and associated scope at about $5,500,000; after an Act 34 grant award of $475,000 the presenters said the net project cost…