State College Area School District
State High Project

Upcoming Events   Project Financing   Website


Thanks for your interest in the State High Project! We've developed this newsletter just for you. Please feel free to forward this to your interested friends. Just use the Forward link at the end of the newsletter.
 
State High Project: the Time is Now!
Projected Site Map for the High School Project 

The State High Project will:

Update Aging & Deficient Facilities
  *Provide an urgently-needed updated facility 
  *Incorporate efficient, sustainable, and flexible design 
  *Maintain our community's infrastructure to support property values and economic growth.
Why: Our nearly 60 year-old facilities do not meet current codes or ADA standards and have failing, obsolete mechanical systems.

Enhance the Educational Environment 
  *Provide flexible learning spaces for project-based learning
  *Give a smaller-school feeling to our large high school and improve student-teacher relationships.
  *Increase time spent learning, decrease time spent between classes. 
Why: The layout and design of the current buildings do not support current and evolving educational practices.

Increase Safety and Security   
  *Consolidate all academic spaces into one building 
  *Greatly reduce traffic in and out of the building
  *Provide more tightly monitored access points
Why: With two buildings on an open campus divided by Westerly Parkway, students currently walk through parking lots and across a major thoroughfare between class periods.

Your vote matters on May 20. All registered voters are eligible, including independents. A successful referendum is needed to fund the high school project.

Our community. Our children. Our future. 
 
UpcomingEvents
Upcoming Events

Coffee & Conversation:
Feb. 12, 9 - 10 a.m., at Denny's
Please join us for casual conversation about the State High Project. Enjoy a cup of coffee and a friendly chat with administrators and board members. Ask questions and give your feedback about the project. We hope to see you there:

Community Conversation,
Feb. 3, 7 - 8 p.m., High School South library. Come early and tour the buildings at 5:30 p.m. Tour leaves from High School South lobby.   

 

Neighborhood Conversation,
Feb. 4, 7 p.m., Easterly Parkway School all purpose room. Everyone is welcome.

Board members and administrators are out in the community presenting information to community groups and would like to speak with your group. Let us bring you up to date. To schedule, contact Julie Miller, jlb51@scasd.org or 272-8600.

Board Meetings:

Board members will continue to receive discuss the State High Project at upcoming board meetings. The public is welcome and encouraged to attend. Meetings are at 7 p.m.   

January 27

February 10 & February 24 

All meetings are in the Board Room, 131 W. Nittany Ave. 

 
Project Financing  Funding 

On May 20, we are asking voters to approve a referendum question that will allow the district to borrow up to $85 million specifically to fund the renovations and additions to the State College Area High School.

To repay these bonds, a referendum tax will be gradually phased in over several years. The tax will gradually decrease over time as the debt is spread across a growing tax base. It will end when the bonds are repaid. You will see the referendum tax as a separate line on your tax bill.

When the borrowing is fully phased in, the estimated annual cost to individual taxpayers is 2.7 mills or about 7% of your current school tax bill.

Property taxes are based on assessed value not the market value. To calculate an estimate of your individual tax impact, locate your assessed value on your most recent tax bill, divide by 1000, multiply by 2.7. Or use the Tax Calculator on our website: www.scasd.org/taxcalculator.
We hope you found this information helpful. For more details, please go to the project's website: www.scasd.org/statehighfuture
 
Sincerely,
 
State College Area School District
131 W. Nittany Ave.
 
Tools
Give your feedback!
Would you like to send questions or comments to the School Board? Email the board members at
all-board@scasd.org
We'll Come to You!
We would like to meet with your neighborhood or community group to discuss this project!



To schedule a meeting or tour, please contact Julie Miller at jlb51@scasd.org or 272-8600.