Penn Manor begins 2020-2021 school year with opening of new STEM wing

Penn Manor High School students and staff got their first experience inside the school’s new STEM wing as the school district kicked off the 2020-2021 school year on Aug. 31.

Students at all 10 district schools returned to classrooms under a Blended Learning schedule that provides in-school instruction for two days and online instruction for three days each week for most students.

Students in kindergarten through grade two and some special education students are attending school in person five days a week.

The blended schedule has enabled schools to implement recommended social distancing measures.

At the high school, students and teachers for the first time got to utilize classrooms, labs and gathering spaces inside the new science, technology and engineering wing.

The STEM wing includes classrooms, labs and shops for math, sciences, technology education, family and consumer science and agricultural education. The wing also includes a new auditorium, band, chorus and orchestra rooms that will be completed later in the year.

English, social studies and learning support classes have been relocated to the old math/science wing of the high school for 2020-2021, and the auxiliary gym is now located in the former temporary ag shop.

Phase two of the high school construction project will include construction of humanities classrooms with art and special education spaces, new administrative offices and a new library/media center.

Demolition to make way for this phase of construction was completed over the summer, and work has now shifted to the foundation. Classroom construction is expected to be completed by summer 2021.

Work will then shift to the third phase, which will include a new auxiliary gym and health facilities, which are expected to be completed in summer 2022. All site work on the high school project should be completed by December 2022.

We appreciate the patience of students, teachers and staff as we transition from the old high school to the new facility, which will continue to undergo interior renovations during the school year.

Many thanks to our families, students and staff for a successful start to the new year!