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Northern Cambria School Board approves resolution to close Kennedy Building, begins reconfiguration
Summary
The board approved Resolution 2025‑O2 on June 24 to close the Kennedy Building (813 35th Street) effective Aug. 15, 2025, and to reconfigure the district so K–6 comprise the elementary school and grades 7–12 form the high school; the superintendent will finalize staffing and schedule details before the July 31 deadline.
The Northern Cambria School Board voted June 24 to approve Resolution 2025‑O2 to close the Kennedy Building at 813 35th Street effective Aug. 15, 2025, and to start the formal reconfiguration that will designate kindergarten through grade 6 as the district elementary school and grades 7 through 12 as the high school.
Superintendent (Mr. Johnson) told the board the change is driven largely by administrative capacity and teacher-evaluation accountability requirements: “We have two administrators; this is the cleanest way to do it,” he said, describing principals’ recommendations to consolidate oversight so evaluations and observation responsibilities remain manageable.
Why it matters: the reconfiguration affects building assignments, administrator workload and—potentially—teacher schedules and family childcare arrangements. Board members repeatedly asked staff to notify families quickly about timetable and transportation changes; one member urged that parents be informed “soon” because of childcare planning needs.
Board discussion flagged several implementation issues. A board member said they were uncomfortable with how much discussion had occurred publicly before the vote and asked whether principals had been fully consulted; the superintendent and staff said principals were involved and that the configuration can still be adjusted through July 31, the district’s deadline for finalizing the setup. The board also noted the possibility of using the vacated building for noninstructional purposes but emphasized the resolution closes it for instructional use.
The resolution delegates authority to the superintendent to begin the reconfiguration process and to finalize schedules and staffing, with the board able to amend the plan before the July 31 record deadline. Next steps include public notice to families and follow-up planning meetings with principals and coaches to minimize disruption.
The board did not designate implementation dates for specific schedule or bus-route changes in the motion; staff said those details will be worked out and communicated to families before the school year begins.
