SOUTH WHITEHALL TWP., Pa. — Plans to expand Parkland High School are moving toward reality.
Representatives from the Parkland School District on Thursday presented a sketch plan of the expansion to South Whitehall Planning Commission — the next step in the long process before construction.
What exactly the Orefield Middle School expansion will look like — and whether the district's stadium will move to the high school — still is to be decided, district Facilities and Operations Director Arthur Oakes said.
The high school expansion is the first step in Vision 2030, the district’s plan to deal with school overcrowding.
Parkland High School is projected to exceed capacity before either of the middle schools, according to district data.
Currently, the high school has about 3,200 students. That number is projected to climb to about 3,950 by 2030, Oakes said.
The two-story expansion would accommodate about 4,000 students, with new classrooms, science labs and large group instructional spaces.
The expansion also could include a new athletic lobby and a library expansion if the costs to build them are within budget, Oakes said.
The total budget for Vision 2030 is just under $210 million, according to the district.
That includes $54.6 million for Parkland High School, $122 million for Orefield Middle School, $19 million for a new turf sports stadium at the high school and $11 million for a new bus garage.
The Parkland High School expansion is expected to be completed by the start of the 2027-28 school year.
OMS expansion, new stadium
The expansion plans for the high school are “pretty clear," but the Orefield Middle School expansion is "a whole animal unto itself," Oakes said.
That’s because in addition to the middle school, the site currently has the district’s transportation center, the football stadium and an under-construction operations center.
“We're still trying to figure out how it all fits on that site,” Oakes said.
Oakes said plans for the potential new stadium at the high school depend on what the district decides to do with the Orefield Middle School site plan.
It also depends on whether the district gets low enough cost estimates to keep the project within budget.
Oakes said he expects the district will have a clearer plan for Orefield Middle School by early next year.
The Orefield Middle School expansion is expected to be completed by the start of the 2029-30 school year.
Board comments
Planning Commission Assistant Secretary Timothy Dugan asked about the plans to handle the additional traffic from the increased student population.
Laura Eberly with engineering firm Reuther+Bowen said the state Transportation Department requires a traffic study for the project, and that will show whether improvements are needed on the nearby roads.
Dugan also asked if there would be any facility improvements as part of the project. Oakes said the district plans to upgrade its heating and air-conditioning system and boilers.
“The intent is to make it look like it's always been there."District Director of Facilities & Operations Arthur Oakes
Planning Commission Chairman David Wilson asked what the façade of the building will look like with the new sections.
Oakes said the building was designed to accommodate expansions, so it will blend into the existing structure.
“The intent is to make it look like it's always been there,” Oakes said.
More information about the status of the Vision 2030 plan will be presented at the Parkland School Board meeting on Sept. 17, Oakes said.
