ADAMS TWP — Pending board approval, construction on Mars Area Elementary School is expected to begin in May 2025 at an estimated cost of $23,960,016.

John Thomas of consulting group Thomas and Williams presented recommendations for the expansion project to committee and community members at a Comprehensive Planning Community Action Committee meeting Tuesday, Feb. 6.

The project addresses a growing student population and “overcrowding” of the elementary school, Thomas said, and will involve additions to instructional space and the cafeteria, site improvements, a STEM room conversion and playground relocation, according to the overview.

The expansion project would make it possible for the elementary school to accommodate students in kindergarten through third grade.

At present, the school teaches students in second through fourth grade. The school would continue to accommodate the same grade levels after construction is complete, Thomas said, but would have the future capability to instead accommodate kindergarten through third grade if the district moves forward with expansion at the Centennial school.

Thomas said expanding the elementary school is less expensive than expanding the Mars Area Primary Center.

Following the presentation Tuesday afternoon, Thomas said expanding the primary center would be costlier because it is an older building and would require “a lot of renovations.”

The millage increase for the project is estimated to be 3.81, and would be split between the ’24-’25 and ‘25-‘26 school years, said Debbie Brandstetter, district business manager.

Brandstetter emphasized that the preliminary number is an estimate and will change based on bond rates, factors based on project design and construction, and as “numbers become more solid.”

According to the tentative schedule, proposals and construction firms will be solicited in April and the design phase will run through March 2025.

Sallie Wick, vice president of the school board, expressed concern about temporarily moving fourth-graders out of the elementary school during construction.

She said the move would impact busing and require advance notice for families and community members.

“We need a good year to prepare families for a move like this,” Wick said.

Thomas answered that the subject of temporarily moving fourth-graders would be discussed sometime in July.

“We have time,” he said.

Committee representatives will help present the proposal to the school board on March 5, superintendent Mark Gross said.