The new year in the Clearview Regional School District will bring the implementation of facility referendum projects, improvements and upgrades at the middle and high schools.
Projects include adding air conditioning to areas in both schools and new emergency generators.
“Our buildings and campus will be safer and healthier as a result of these projects,” said Superintendent John Horchak. “Substantial climate control improvements are in progress, which will result in improved filtration, better air quality, and reduced energy costs.
“Air conditioning will finally be added to the high school and middle school gyms, hallways, and any remaining instructional areas that are not currently air-conditioned,” he added. “New emergency generators will support current building and technology needs. The upgraded equipment will keep the critical systems at both schools operating in the event of a power outage.”
Work is proceeding on new classroom doors equipped with anti-intruder hardware, better security glass and new interior and exterior doors. Additions to building roofs are under construction and contracts for a PA system and clocks have gone out for bid.
“Both schools will see new exterior doors,” said Horchak of the middle and high schools, adding that there will be new main entrances at both in 2025 and a new turf field in the stadium will be ready early this year.
“A traffic study was completed to help inform the decision-making process for traffic improvements,” the superintendent added, “with the goals of separating buses and other vehicle traffic from pedestrian pathways and creating an overall new traffic flow.”
The STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math) program at Clearview will also get additions, with the middle school’s old wood shop converted to a STEM lab. The program will also see the addition of a cybersecurity class in September, when the 2024-’25 school year begins.
“We continue to build on our vast academic offerings, specifically in the STEM area,” Horchak explained. “This addition would provide ample space to explore STEM, which will expand an important piece of a modern curriculum that blends the academic areas of science, technology, engineering and math.
“The high school already has a robotics lab, so our middle-school students will have hands-on STEM experience to easily transition to our high school.”
Other classes planned for the new school year include Dramatics and Theater II and Singing for the Actor in the Clearview Visual/Performing Arts department.