March 2009
The Line Mountain School Board discussed the renovation of Leck Kill and Dalmatia elementary schools. Among the multiple options was closing both schools and building a brand new building at a cost of $11.9 million.
March 2010
The board appointed Josh Bower, project manager with Crabtree, Rohrbaugh and Associates Architects, to proceed with the elementary school renovation projects.
August 2010
The board held a two-hour discussion on what to do with fifth- and sixth-grade students. They considered keeping the two grades at Trevorton Elementary School, or moving the sixth-grade students to Line Mountain Junior-Senior High School where they would join seventh and eighth grade, and disperse the fifth-grade students among the three elementary schools.
The board also purchased 1.5 acres of land adjacent the Dalmatia Elementary School for $55,000 for the renovation project.
October 2010
The board decided to keep the fifth- and sixth-grade students at Trevorton. It was also expected that ground would be broken at Dalmatia within eight months.
January 2011
The board requested cost estimates for building a new elementary school at Dalmatia instead of renovating the older building.
February 2011
The board narrowed its options for the Dalmatia building to renovating the original buildings and adding six new classrooms for $6.3 million or constructing a new building for $8 million.
March 2011
The board approved a motion to build a new school behind the original Dalmatia school. Later that month, a motion to suspend activity on building a new school at Dalmatia failed. Director Charles Sample had hoped to postpone the project until the board had all of the information on the budget and could determine if it was the proper time to proceed.
April 2011
In anticipation of the governor's budget, Superintendent Dave Campbell said closing Leck Kill would save the district $312,000.
June 2011
To save money, the school board proposed redistricting the boundaries of the elementary schools, sending the students in West Cameron, Zerbe and Lower Augusta townships to Trevorton, and expanding the Leck Kill border westward toward Dalmatia, whose borders would decrease. All kindergarten students would attend Trevorton.
July 2011
In reaction to the governor's budget, Campbell suggested closing of the elementary schools at Leck Kill and Dalmatia to save the district money was inevitable. It was suggested the board look into purchasing land to build a new elementary school.
August 2011
The board favored keeping each section of grades together and purchasing property in a centralized location to build a new elementary school. They instructed Bower to investigate land in the Red Cross area, but were also considering building a new elementary school on the high school campus in Mandata.
September 2011
Bower advised the board they should make a decision by November if they expected to have their new building open by August 2013.
October 2011
Campbell reported that two more properties in the Dornsife area are being considered as potential sites for a new centralized elementary school for students in the Leck Kill and Dalmatia areas. Board members had looked at more than a dozen sites so far.
November 2011
If an elementary school construction project by the school board ever moves from concept to reality, it was decided that it would occur on the campus of the junior-senior high school.
December 2011
Bower presented building plans for both an elementary addition to the existing high school or a separate building in Mandata. The board also requested a bus study to be performed.
January 2012
Nearly 40 people voiced their concerns about the elementary schools closing. Their arguments centered around early start times, young students mixing with older students and young students having to spend extended periods of time riding to and from school. A petition of 80 signatures in support of a one-campus school system was presented to the board.
February 2012
A bus study presented to the board showed that all bus runs would likely be less than 60 minutes if the two elementary schools closed.
March 2012
Instead of constructing on the high school campus, the board was considering building a four-classroom addition at Trevorton to accommodate kindergarten through fourth-grade students while sending fifth and sixth grade to join the seventh and eighth grades in an addition at the high school.
April 2012
Bower was instructed to finish the drawings and specifications in preparation for bidding addition projects at the Trevorton and high schools. A public hearing was scheduled for Tuesday night to discuss the closings of the elementary schools at Leck Kill and Dalmatia.