New High School > Project History > Need for a new high school

In 1987, the Souderton Area Board of School Directors, amid much public debate, proceeded with major additions and renovations to the Souderton Area High School. This project expanded the building’s student capacity to its current dimensions. In 1996, with additions and renovations to both Indian Crest and Indian Valley completed, the Souderton Area School District changed the grade structure of each of these secondary schools to the current organization. Students in the SASD would now progress from elementary school (K-5), to middle school (6-7), to junior high school (8-9) and then, to high school (10-12). This critical change to the academic and social structure of these school buildings was necessary because the high school building had, again, reached its student capacity. Moving the 9th grade class (and related teachers and programs) to Indian Crest gave the High School breathing space, but only until 2003. A decision to lease six portable classrooms was made because, yet again, the building had reached capacity, this time without the 9th grade.

Meanwhile, eight (8) modular classrooms were constructed at Indian Valley in 1998 and conversion of the former District Administrative space at Indian Crest to needed classrooms was accomplished in 2001. In 2004, the District leased six (6) more portable classrooms, this time at Indian Crest, and temporarily converted cross-corridors at Indian Valley to ease the classroom crunch there. School construction and renovation activity has been almost continuous for our facilities to catch up with enrollment growth as well as to provide much needed space for program mandates and educational initiatives.

From 1987 to 2004, the District’s total enrollment (grades K-12) grew steadily from 4629 to 6693 students. The student population at our secondary schools (grades 6-12) has swelled to 3676. At the high school, with only grades 10-12, enrollment increased from 1079 to 1526 students in 2004. The typical HS graduating class, that once averaged 325, then became 395 students, now approaches 500. We also observed the entering first grade classes have exceeded 500 students in all but two of the previous ten years and these new first grade classes exceed the HS graduating class every year.

The most recent, comprehensive study of community demographics, prepared for the District by the Pennsylvania Economy League in January, 2004, projects that enrollments will continue to grow over the next ten years, although the rate of growth may be slower than the experience of the last decade. By 2013/2014 the District’s total enrollment is expected to climb to 7247 students. The student population at our secondary schools (grades 6-12) is projected to increase to 4033, 9.7% over the 10 year period. The number of students in grades 9-12 is expected to be 2252 in ten years. The average grade level will climb to 565 students by 2013/2014 and two of the twelve grade levels will exceed 600 students. Statistics also show a pattern of increasing births in the SASD since 1993. PEL used 590, the average annual number during the last 5 years, in their extended projections. 615 births occurred in the Souderton area in 2000, the highest annual birth figure since 1970. These students will start school next year.

Municipal officials report that more new housing will be built and that older, affordable housing will turnover from empty nesters to young families. This is strong evidence that student enrollments are likely to increase even beyond the next ten-year period. Efforts at municipal and regional planning are active and these cooperative programs among municipal and county officials may be effective at managing community development, but will not stop growth in the face of economic demand. The recently drafted Indian Valley Regional Comprehensive Plan estimates a 42% population increase in this area between 2000 and 2025 and a corresponding need for 7530 more houses to be added. Historical data demonstrate this does not equate precisely to a proportional student enrollment increase, however to ignore the likelihood would be unwise.

The history and the current trends are clear. Just the numbers tell us that a longer range plan is essential for all the District’s secondary schools (High School, Indian Crest and Indian Valley) to keep ahead of future student enrollments and to ensure educational program needs are not constrained by facility limitations. All three secondary schools currently exceed their rated facility capacities. A Demographics Committee composed of Board members, District administrators, teachers, parents and interested citizens studied the numbers, toured the high school building, commissioned an appraisal of the current building and land, and developed several options before recommending a preferred solution to the Board of School Directors. The Committee looked not only at the raw demographics, but also at other physical limitations of the current high school facility and the difficulties with the current grade structure. The Committee stressed the primary importance that educational program, academic achievement and community activity should have in any decisions on a new high school complex. Facility capacities were reviewed to ensure feasibility of any considered option, but were not the driving factor in reaching a sound recommendation. It was recognized that this is a time for a bold, visionary step. This Board of School Directors now has the position and the opportunity to positively affect generations of Souderton Area students. The Demographics Committee made the following recommendations in Spring, 2002:

• Create a revised grade configuration
  • Elementary K-5
  • Middle 6-7-8 (Indian Crest and Indian Valley)
  • High School 9-10-11-12
• Define attendance boundaries for the two middle schools
• Explore sale or public re-uses for the existing High School property

Options Considered

Option - Addition to Existing High School

• Demolish football stadium
• Construct addition to existing building (approximately 180,000 sq ft)
• Relocate cafeteria/ kitchen
• Increase site parking and separate car/bus circulation
• Acquire approximately 50 acre site for new athletic complex
• Renovate existing building

Option II - Two High Schools

• Acquire land on opposite side of District (minimum 75 acres)
• Construct second High School of equal size
• Renovate existing building

Option III - One New High School

• Acquire suitable land (minimum 100 acres)
• Construct new High School complex sized for projected growth (approximately 450,000 sq ft)
• Develop appropriate re-uses for existing building and land
• Preserve future option to renovate as second high school if and when appropriate

Other Ideas Discussed and Rejected

• Sell existing High School building and lands
• Convert EMC Elementary to kindergarten center
• Adopt K-6 elementary grade structure
• Convert Indian Valley to an elementary school
• Sell EMC or Lower Salford elementary schools
• Use existing High School as a junior High School