As construction nears completion on an addition at Abington Heights Middle School, the Abington Heights School District will borrow nearly $20 million for that project and possibly others.
Board members voted last week on a resolution authorizing the district to issue bonds of up to $20 million for construction of additions and renovations to all six district buildings.
The money will mainly be used to finance the construction and renovation of the $50 million addition to Abington Heights Middle School, which broke ground last year. The 70,000-square-foot addition features a new administrative suite, more than 20 new classrooms and an 800-seat gymnasium. It also includes renovations to about 17,000 square feet of space in the existing building, upgrades to athletic fields, and improved parking and site access.
Construction of the addition is ongoing and will continue even after students arrive for the start of the 2026-27 school year on Sept. 8. Superintendent Christopher Shaffer said the project is on time for its target completion date of next year and is hopeful it will be mostly completed by spring, with little impact on the school’s day-to-day operations. The renovation portion will start when students are out in summer 2027.
Shaffer doesn’t anticipate the district will spend the entire $20 million on the project, but the funds give the district flexibility with borrowing and also allow officials to spend the remaining money on facility projects at other buildings if the middle school project comes in under budget.
“That provides us the opportunity to use the money that we’ve already borrowed to complete a couple other projects,” Shaffer said.
The resolution sets the parameters for borrowing, issuing a proposal to purchase the bonds, and says bonds will be issued in denominations of $5,000.
Shaffer expects the bonds will be on the market at the end of this month or early next month, and said he’s pleased with the work that is going on.
“We’re extremely happy with our contractors and professionals that we’re working with that have kept us on budget and on time,” he said.
The addition and renovation are part of a districtwide facilities study completed by KCBA Architects in 2023, which determined improvements were needed in all six district buildings, with the middle school being the highest priority.