Overcrowding In Tredyffrin/Easttown Schools Under Review

TREDYFFRIN/EASTTOWN, PA — Tredyffrin Easttown School District is exploring the possibility of constructing a sixth elementary school in response to a projected enrollment increase.

Dr. Richard Gusick, superintendent of schools, provided an update Tuesday night to the school board on research conducted during the school year on the need for a new school.

He said meetings were held in each of the five elementary schools and experts were consulted in the development of elementary schools.

The district has five elementary schools, with a total enrollment of 2,377 students. The schools provide a half-day of kindergarten and first through fourth grade.

The schools are Beaumont, Devon, Hillside, New Eagle and Valley Forge.

The superintendent said the target number for enrollment is 420 to 470 students.

Dr. Roberta Hotinski, board president, said the board will continue to explore options and revisit the issue in the fall.

She anticipates a decision would be rendered by January.

Status of schools

The Valley Forge Elementary School on Walker Road is projected to be overcrowded during the next decade, according to a study.

“Our schools are filled at the moment,” he said. “We are maximizing our footprint in all of the schools.”

The superintendent said the issues are providing enough classrooms for special education and full-day kindergarten.

Gusick said that he recommends full-day kindergarten to keep up with the education standards.

He said that an estimated 89 to 90 percent of the public schools in Pennsylvania have full-day kindergarten.

The estimated cost of building a new school is $55 million and the operational costs are estimated at $7 million.

The superintendent said that it is not possible to build additions to existing schools.

These are two possible locations for a new school on district-owned land:

• 783 First Ave, Berwyn, near the Easttown Library
• 302 Jefferson Lane, near the Valley Forge Middle School.

Several residents expressed concern about the costs, suggesting that a referendum be placed on the ballot to determine if the resident support it.

Tara Eisenhower, who lives in Sullivan’s Bridge development off Jefferson Lane, said the residents enjoy the open space, which is surrounded by several housing developments.

She noted that Jefferson Road has only two lanes with a cul de sac at the end, which would cause traffic backups in the event of a school opening there.