Norristown is ‘effectively out’ of school space. The district has approved a $12M expansion project

From Delco to Chesco and Montco to Bucks, what about life in Philly’s suburbs do you want WHYY News to cover? Let us know!

Norristown Area School District’s board of directors unanimously approved a $12 million project to increase capacity at several buildings.

Contractors will soon install prefabricated additions to Cole Manor Elementary School, Hancock Elementary School and the administration building.

“They have reached their functional capacity at their buildings — meaning, we’re effectively out of additional space,” Superintendent Christopher Dormer said at Monday’s special meeting.

Each of the three modulars will be linked to their primary building.

Cole Manor will receive an 11,300-square-foot extension. Hancock will receive a 11,400-square-foot extension. Both elementary school additions will include eight full-size classrooms, some flex spaces, bathrooms and a heating and air conditioning system.

The administration building will get a 7,800-square-foot extension, equating to 16 new office spaces.

“This is really going to be a first-rate project, and as we presented, at about 45% of the cost of traditional construction and about one-third of the timeline to get it constructed for occupancy,” Dormer said.

Officials said the manufacturer will begin purchasing the materials as soon as the contract is signed.

“What’s unique about this is, as they’re going through the process of permits and so forth, they’re constructing the product at the same time,” district COO Jeffrey Cardwell said at the meeting. “So that’s why we were able to shorten the time span for the construction.”

Need for space in a growing school district

Currently, administrative employees are “doubling up” in workspaces and the elementary schools need additional autism support classrooms, Dormer said.

Cole Manor and Hancock are relatively close to the former Kennedy-Kenrick Catholic High School, which is set to be developed into hundreds of additional housing units. This could potentially bring more students into the district.

“We want to make sure that we have the capacity that is not only going to take care of the short term special education needs, but also is going to give us that long term buffer,” Dormer said.

Norristown is not the only district using modular classrooms to accommodate a rising population and changing needs for suburban schools.

Cheltenham School District began rebuilding each of its elementary schools in 2009 and used prefabricated additions at Elkins Park School to hold students. The district will utilize those same units as it seeks to reconfigure its grades following the closure of Elkins Park School.