MONTOURSVILLE -- A high school in Lycoming County could look a whole lot different in two years. The school board has voted in favor of a multi-million dollar renovation project to Montoursville Area High School and that includes possibly adding two more floors.
Montoursville Area School Board approved a $35.9 million construction plan that would involve knocking down over half of the building. School officials say the new blueprint for the school is smaller, but better fit for the students.
"That all gets torn down for the new construction," said Daniel Taormina, principal of Montoursville Area High School.
Montoursville Area School officials look over a sketch of the high school in a conference room at the school in Montoursville.
"We still have a lot of changing and a lot of tweaking to do," said Dr. Timothy Bowers, superintendent.
This is what Montoursville Area High School could look like in a few years, now that the school board has approved the $35.9 million construction plan.
Officials say the school has outgrown the building's outdated classrooms and aging hallways.
"Not having enough science labs is a problem," said Taormina.
Superintendent Dr. Timothy Bowers says the plan includes an addition and renovations.
"Updated science rooms for example. We'll have updated classroom spaces, a new auditorium," said Dr. Bowers.
The school plans to keep parts of the building that it can still use, demolish around 70% of the building, while adding on three stories high.
"All of this, this is where the three story academic wing will be built," said Taormina.
The new plan calls for some of this stone siding in the front of the building to come down, but because officials say the stone is such an important part of the building's structure to the community, they plan to reuse it somewhere in the new design.
"We are very much into our school and our school activities," said Sandy Agostinelli.
Sandy Agostinelli came to pick her son up from school. She says she's all for improvements like smaller class sizes and more parking, no matter the price.
"I think most people would gladly pay more taxes to get a little bigger school and better for our kids," said Agostinelli.
School officials say taxes may go up this year, but that the school has also been setting money aside for the building project. Officials say construction should begin this June and be complete by September of 2017.