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New Elementary School 2020

Check out this animated preview video of the Veterans Memorial Elementary School:  https://youtu.be/1nbmdwb-aqI
This video was shared at the Groundbreaking Ceremony in August, 2018.

Virtual tours of the newly proposed elementary school were shared during the September 19, 2017 School Board Meeting.  You can "walk through" the proposed new elementary school with these Virtual Reality links to the various parts of the building listed below:

Literacy/Media Center:  http://panorama.enscape3d.com/view/6ywrfgdl/

Creative Commons:  http://panorama.enscape3d.com/view/ywrrxcbe/

Gymnasium:  http://panorama.enscape3d.com/view/ndpuslcv/

Small Group Literacy Center http://panorama.enscape3d.com/view/uhceo8r8/

Art Room:  http://panorama.enscape3d.com/view/zstycgfm/

Cafeteria http://panorama.enscape3d.com/view/w8g8c256/

Lobby:  http://panorama.enscape3d.com/view/x1idzwgq/

Small Group Maker Space:  http://panorama.enscape3d.com/view/qrrt0kji/

Some renderings of the newly proposed Elementary School shared on July 25, 2017 at the Public School Board Meeting:

Proposed courtyard

 

Proposed courtyard

 

aerial view of site plan

 

Front entrance to new school


Parkland Announces Details for New Elementary School Site
Land Donated by Jaindl Land Company

On Tuesday, February 28, 2017, the Parkland School Board announced an agreement to accept a donated parcel of land from David Jaindl, owner of Jaindl Farms and Jaindl Land Company, for the purpose of building a new elementary school. The parcel is approximately 18 acres in size and is located on the west side of Twin Ponds Road between Long Lane and Schantz Road.

Mr. Richard T. Sniscak, Superintendent of Schools, stated, “I want to personally thank David Jaindl and his family for the generous gift of a parcel of land ideally suited for the development of an elementary school.  As a Parkland Distinguished Alumnus and parent, he has been a champion for education in our region at large and we are extremely appreciative of this donation.”

David M. Kennedy, President of the Board of School Directors, stated, “On behalf of the Parkland School Board and taxpayers, we are extremely grateful for the donation of land that the Jaindl family has kindly contributed.  We feel that the land and location will serve our children and community very well.”

David Jaindl stated, “The Jaindl family has lived and worked in the Parkland School District for generations.  Our businesses, Jaindl Farms, Jaindl Land Company and Schantz Orchards have been based in the Parkland School District for over 85 years.  Three generations of Jaindls have attended Parkland Schools and have appreciated the quality of the education it provided.  On behalf of our entire family, Jackie and I are proud to make this contribution to the Parkland School District.”

The proposed new school will accommodate a growing population of residents in the southwest corner of Parkland School District where new construction continues to occur at a fast pace.

The recommendation to build a new elementary school first was announced in October 2015 during a School Board meeting when Stantec, a civil engineering/architectural firm, presented their findings on a 10-year feasibility study that Parkland contracted them to perform.  Stantec suggested options to handle the projected enrollment growth which showcased a need for an additional 15 classrooms in the south and southwest pockets of the District by the year 2020, and an additional 19 classrooms in that same area through the year 2024.

Richard Sniscak, Superintendent of Parkland Schools, stated, “About a year and a half ago, projections for new developments in the southwestern corner of the school district predicted that an additional 500 elementary students would potentially enter Parkland in the next five years.  A redistricting effort that occurred last year is helping us buy time, but a new elementary school will be the ultimate solution to alleviate the overcrowding that is starting to occur in the southern part of our District.”

In January 2017, the Parkland School Board hired KCBA Architects to provide architectural and engineering services for the design and construction of the new elementary school.  The project is planned for a fall 2020 opening.  Legal title to the land will be conveyed to Parkland School District after all closing conditions have been satisfied.  The Parkland School District will convene a New Elementary School Advisory Committee to obtain input on the facility, its features, and community use as part of the planning process.

About Jaindl Land Company
Through various business enterprises, Jaindl has a proud and proven history spanning four generations.  The company is known for its integrated turkey production that includes breeding, hatching, growing and selling more than 750,000 “Grand Champion” Brand turkeys each year along with quality orchard produce.  The Jaindl name is known for its sustainable farming operation covering more than 12,000 acres in a four-county region.  Jaindl Land Company is a developer of quality residential, industrial, and commercial lands located throughout the Lehigh Valley.    In 2015 Jaindl acquired A-Treat Bottling Company which was recognized by the Morning Call in 2016 as “Beverage of the Year”.

About Parkland School District
The 72 square miles of the Parkland School District encompass three townships with a total population of approximately 50,000.  The district’s wide socio-economic range results from it bordering the city of Allentown on the southeast and extending to farmland at the western and northern extremities. The Parkland School District consists of eight elementary schools, two middle schools, and one high school and serves approximately 9,200 students.

Public Meetings and Timeline
The first public meetings about the new elementary school occurred on May 22, 2017, at Fogelsville Elementary at 7 PM and on May 24, 2017, at Jaindl Elementary at 7 PM.  Initial designs of the new school were shared by the architects and the public was invited to weigh in on the elements.

An Act 34 Public Hearing occurred on November 13, 2017.  At this meeting, the project financing plan was reviewed along with an overview of the project background.  The document was put on display for 30 days for public input before seeking School Board Approval to finalize a cap on spending for the project in December 2017.

The project broke ground in May 2018 and will be completed in late spring of 2020 with a plan to open the school in Fall 2020.

Construction Progress Update: 
January 15, 2019 Board Meeting Presentation

ttps://www.boarddocs.com/pa/parkland/Board.nsf/files/B8CDFT6E39BA/$file/AHB%20Jan%2015%202019%20Board%20Presentation%20Slides.pdf

Redistricting Plans/Sending Area Boundaries for Veterans Memorial Elementary School

Boundaries for the southern elementary schools will change when Veterans Memorial Elementary School opens in the Fall of 2020. The proposed redistricted sending areas were announced during the October 15, 2019, School Board Meeting. Middle School boundaries will not change. Residents can check to see if their address is affected with our School Locator Tool at: https://betalocator.decisioninsite.com/?StudyID=230521 

Town hall meeting dates to receive public input before borders are finalized occured as follows:

• Fogelsville – 10/21/19 at 6:30 PM
• Cetronia – 10/24/19 at 6:30 PM
• Jaindl – 10/28/19 at 6:30 PM
• Parkway Manor – 10/30/19 at 6:30 PM 

Click on our maps page to view the changes from a district-wide perspective.

Veterans Memorial Elementary School, Oct 2019

Vets Memorial under construction