More than 200 celebrate re-dedication of Conestoga Elementary

More than 200 people turned out Sunday, Sept. 24, to mark the re-dedication of Conestoga Elementary School and tour the newly renovated school.

State Rep. Brett Miller addressed the crowd in Conestoga’s new multipurpose room, recalling the school’s rich history and pointing out that new facilities are important, but it’s the students and staff that make schools like Conestoga great.

Conestoga alums Hailey Fafel and Logan Connelly sang the National Anthem, and Conestoga teacher Heather Fellenbaum and her son, Chase, a first-grader at the school, cut a ribbon to mark the reopening.

Architect Larry Levato of Crabtree, Rohrbaugh & Associates, which designed the renovations, presented a ceremonial key to the school to Penn Manor school board president J. Kenneth Long.

Conestoga Elementary was closed in 2016-2017 for completion of an $11.7 million construction and renovation project. Upgrades include a new entrance, lobby, media center, Academic Commons, kitchen, playground and instructional spaces and new HVAC, communications and security systems. Other areas of the school received comprehensive renovations.

Following the ceremonies, visitors enjoyed refreshments and toured the school. Among the visitors was Leo Heiland Jr., who was one of the first students to attend Conestoga in 1954. He was visiting from Sunlakes, Ariz., to attend the Penn Manor High School Class of 1967 reunion.

Many thanks to the many people who helped make Conestoga’s transformation possible!