HANOVER TOWNSHIP, Pa. — The Hanover Township Zoning Board brought the school district one step closer toward achieving its plan of combining all four elementary schools into one.
The board voted to change a designation that will allow the district to remodel a building for its new combined elementary school.
"Our enrollment right now is the highest it's been, 2,317 students," said Nathan Barrett, Hanover Area School District Superintendent.
Crowded classrooms are just a part of the reason the district wants to combine these four schools.
"These buildings, like I said, are at capacity, they're energy inefficient, and we're trying to make a better, more cost-efficient building, and that's why we set our eyes on this location," said Barrett.
The location is the Mondelez International building in the Hanover Area Industrial Estates. Once remodeled, the building will house approximately 1,000 students and more than a hundred classrooms.
For one parent whose child uses a wheelchair, this new facility will make education that much more accessible.
“I'm thrilled; she's in a wheelchair, so getting in and out of the other schools, there's so many stairs [and] not all of the schools have an elevator, the one she's currently in does not, and this school's going to, and I couldn't be more happy about it," said Adrienne Rominsky, a parent to Hanover Area elementary student.
The facility itself will cost $5 million to buy and about $20 million to renovate. While it's still unclear whether taxes will increase, to some parents, even if they did, the benefits of the facility outweigh the costs.
"As long as it's going towards the school and the kids, I don't see an issue with it. As long as the money is set aside to where it's going and it's actually funded correctly, then I don't see an issue," said Adam Jaworski, a parent to Hanover Area elementary student.
"If it's going to benefit the kids, I'm alright with it, because, at the end of the day, that's what it comes down to is the kids, if it benefits them and it works out for them, I'm alright with it,” said Joe Rivas, a parent to Hanover Area elementary student.
The school district is hoping to have the facility open for students by the 2026-2027 school year. All that's left now is to get a plan approved by the school board before construction can begin.