ADAMS TWP — Mars Area School District superintendent Mark Gross presented recommendations from the renovation committee for a $23,960,016 elementary school expansion project at a school board meeting Tuesday, March 5.

Gross was joined by committee members Nick Coval, Justin Harrison, Lucas Logan and Heather Weiner, as well as Mars Area Elementary School principal Todd Lape as he shared proposed expansion plans with board directors, who will vote on the recommendations at the next meeting on March 12.

Gross began his presentation by noting the committee had investigated a number of concerns in the elementary school, including increases in enrollment, capacity limitations, building degradation and changes in roads.

The recommendations address all of these concerns, as well as overcrowding of the elementary school, he said.

Expansion would involve additions to instructional space and the cafeteria, site improvements, a STEM room conversion and playground relocation, according to the overview presented in February.

The expansion project would also make it possible for the elementary school to one day accommodate students in kindergarten through third-grade if the district chooses to move forward with expansion at the Centennial school after the elementary school project is complete.

At present, the school teaches students in second-grade through fourth-grade. The proposed expansion project, Gross said, would make future changes and further expansion possible.

“If our vision is (expanding Mars Area Elementary School) and (Mars Centennial School), and the eventual move of students, we take one bite of the apple at a time,” he said. “Let’s focus on (Mars Area Elementary School) as the first phase, get that capacity, build it in a manner that makes it large enough.”

“Once that project is nearing its completion, we as a district need to talk about when do we want to start discussions about the Centennial renovation,” he said.

Along with committee members, Gross said the option of expanding the elementary school provides the district with the most flexibility, and is less costly than expanding the Mars Area Primary Center, which was another possibility.

Lape showed board directors preliminary classroom configurations.

According to the recommendations, construction at the elementary school would be expected to begin in May 2025. The district would select proposals from architects around April or early May, Gross said.

Tuesday evening, Gross also shared that one week remains to review the draft of the district’s 2024-27 comprehensive plan.

Feedback can be sent directly to the superintendent in writing at the district’s administration office or via email at mgross@marsk12.org.