Avon Grove School District contractor Foreman Architects presented the results of a feasibility study of future facilities along with 14 options for construction and renovation options at a special session on April 23 at Avon Grove High School.

Two of the options call for the creation of a new high school, two would call for a new middle school, nine include a new elementary school and three would call for a brand new ninth grade center.

The most expensive option calls for a new elementary school and ninth grade center at the current site of the middle school at a preliminary cost of $64 million.

Lead architect Pedro Ortiz said that there were a few key variables that will determine which of the current school facilities can be renovated.

He mentioned the 20-year rule mandated by the Pennsylvania Department of Education (PDE) to regulate how school districts receive state reimbursement for renovations.

Under the rule, after a district is reimbursed for major renovations on one building project, it cannot receive state funds for major improvements to the same facility for a span of 20 years.

"PDE is saying that when making changes, districts should do it piecemeal," said Ortiz.

Current district facilities under the 20-year rule are Avon Grove High School (AGHS), Avon Grove Intermediate School (AGIS), Penn London Elementary School (PLE) and the district office.

Fred S. Engle Middle School (FEMS), Avon Grove Elementary School and Kemblesville Elementary School are still eligible for renovation reimbursement, according to Ortiz.

"The amount of the reimbursement is based on the highest projected enrollment plus the number of special education classrooms," said Ortiz. "The very wealthy districts get less reimbursement.

"The size of the project also effects the percentage of the state reimbursement. The bond issue gets smaller as the project gets larger."

Ortiz also mentioned Act 34 or the Taj Mahal rule, a spending limit to keep schools from getting too large in size.

As part of the feasibility study, Ortiz projected the years at which each of the current district schools would have enrollment would meet or exceed its overall student capacity.

Penn London (grades K-2) has a maximum capacity of 1,025 and a current enrollment of 957, Ortiz's study projected that enrollment in 2004-05 would reach 1,033. AGIS (grades 3-6) has a maximum capacity of 1,650 and a current enrollment of 1,460 students with projected growth to 1,671 students in 2007-08, according to Ortiz' figures.

FEMS (grades 7-8) has a maximum capacity of 937 students and a current enrollment of 850 that is projected to swell to 952 in 2011-12. AGHS (grades 9-12) has a capacity of 1,547 and a current student population of 1,433 with a projected boost to 1,563 students in 2004-05.