SCRANTON, LACKAWANNA CO. (WOLF) — West Scranton Intermediate School opened its doors to the public Thursday night for an open house showcasing a completed renovation and modernization project.
The Scranton School District invited community members to tour the building at 1401 Fellows St., describing the endeavor as a project that took about three years. The district said it wanted the public to see the changes and what their tax dollars supported during construction.
Angela Keating, principal of West Scranton Intermediate School, said the renovation addressed long-standing needs in a building that opened in the 1970s and had not received major upgrades since it was built.
“We’re super excited for our students and our community to be able to experience this tonight. This is three and a half years of a lot of blood, sweat and tears. We did everything from top to bottom, moving from an open concept to adding doors and walls for safety, along with brand-new HVAC and lighting. It’s unbelievable the difference, and it looks like a totally new place,” said Keating.
Keating said the project included a $10 million grant and put the overall cost close to $40 million. She credited Gov. Josh Shapiro, state Sen. Marty Flynn and Reps. Bridget Kosierowski and Kyle Donahue, along with the school board and the community.
Robert Rucker, the district’s director of operations, said the work went beyond cosmetic changes and included mechanical, electrical and plumbing upgrades, including new boilers, hot water heaters, rooftop HVAC units, LED lighting upgrades and new sprinkler systems.
“We took the approach that if we’re going to do it, we’re going to do it right. We’re going to take it down to the bare bones, start from scratch and build something here that’s going to outlast me and outlast whoever’s currently working here. We want something that’s going to last 30, 40, 50 years,” said Rucker.
Throughout the event, cheerleaders greeted guests at the entrance and student council members guided visitors through remodeled areas including the art room, band room, cafeteria, gym, family and consumer science room, general classrooms and the auditorium.
Along the route, student programs and extracurricular groups set up tables, and the school’s house band, Invader Nation, made up of two students and one faculty member, performed classic rock in the auditorium.
Visitors included students, parents, teachers and staff, alumni and other community members who came to see the updated building.