Miles SmithThe Unionville-Chadds Ford School District in southeastern Pennsylvania is moving forward with plans for a new middle school.
The district has entered the design phase of the project after voting unanimously last week to award a contract to design a building that will replace 52-year-old Charles F. Patton Middle School in Kennett Square.
School officials estimate the cost of the project to be up to $120 million. The design firm will charge the district 4.6% of the total construction cost estimate for design work.
The design phase is expected to wrap in July 2027. The district will then go out for construction bids the following month.
Construction is expected to take approximately three years, with the goal of opening the new school for the 2030-2031 school year.
The school board is expected to consider several projects to address aging facilities at upcoming meetings. They include:
- A new roof for various sections of Unionville High School. The current roof was installed 14 years ago with a 15-year warranty, but leaks have been detected.
- A roof for Hillendale Elementary School. The estimated cost is $241,750 for a metal roof.
- Six new 82-passenger, diesel-powered school buses, including one with a wheelchair lift unit. If approved, the buses would be purchased from Wolfington at a total cost of $1.01 million.
Image by Dimitris Vetsikas from Pixabay
