HARRISBURG – More than $4.2 million was awarded through the Public School Facility Improvement Grant program to schools in Schuylkill County today, according to state Sen. Dave Argall (R-29) and state Reps. JoAnne Stehr (R-107), Dane Watro (R-116), Tim Twardzik (R-123), and Jamie Barton (R-124).
“These state grants are going toward building upgrades that will improve efficiency and lessen the burden on local property taxpayers,” said Watro. “I was pleased to work with Sen. Argall in bringing the funding home.”
“I’m proud to bring this funding back to our schools, minimizing the financial impact these projects will have on students, staff, faculty and taxpayers,” said Barton.
“The safety and well-being of our students are top priorities, and these grants will allow our schools to make much-needed improvements,” Stehr said. “This investment ensures that our children have a safe and secure environment where they can learn and thrive.”
“I am proud to see significant funding awarded to our schools in Schuylkill County,” said Twardzik. “This investment is vital for ensuring our students have safe and modern facilities to learn and grow. By prioritizing our educational infrastructure, we are making a strong commitment to the future of our communities.”
“As the chair of the Senate Education Committee, I understand how serious the need is for better school buildings,” said Argall “Outdated school facilities can put student safety in jeopardy and this highly competitive funding is much needed.”
Nine school districts in Schuylkill County received funding, including:
- Blue Mountain School District – $1,075,000 to replace windows, repair the roof, and make other safety upgrades to Blue Mountain High School.
- Mahanoy Area School District – $600,000 to improve the HVAC system at Mahanoy Area Elementary School.
- Pine Grove Area School District – $250,000 to improve the HVAC system at Pine Grove Area High School.
- Pottsville Area School District – $110,000 to increase the safety and security of John S. Clark Elementary Center, DHH Lengel Middle School, Pottsville Area High school, and Howard S. Fernsler Academic Center.
- Saint Clair Area School District – $110,000 to improve the HVAC system at Saint Clair Area Elementary/Middle School.
- Schuylkill County Area Vocational Technical School – $476,805 to replace three roofs and enable cellular coverage at the South Campus located in Norwegian Township.
- Schuylkill Haven Area School District – $350,000 to improve the HVAC system at Schuylkill Haven Area Middle School.
- Shenandoah Valley School District – $800,000 to improve the HVAC system and install energy-saving lighting at the Shenandoah Valley School District K-12 facility.
- Tamaqua Area School District – $450,000 to replace the roof at Tamaqua Area High School.
CONTACT: Jim Brugger (Argall)
William Jones (Stehr, Twardzik)
Andy Briggs (Watro)
Jake Gillespie (Barton)