Pennsbury To Hold Public Hearing On New High School Project

The Pennsbury School District is moving forward with plans for a new high school, and residents will get their chance to weigh in at a public hearing.

The district will hold a public Act 34 Hearing on Thursday, Sept. 4, at 7 p.m. at Fallsington Elementary School at 134 Yardley Avenue in Falls Township.

The hearing is required under Pennsylvania law and will present details and receive public comment on the proposed construction of a new high school in Falls Township.

The formal hearing will include a presentation on the educational, physical, administrative, budgetary and fiscal aspects of the project.

The district published the 50-page Act 34 information booklet on Monday.

The new high school will be a 497,000-square-foot building constructed on the south side of the current campus along Hood Boulevard. The existing East and West buildings will remain in use until the new school is completed. Once the new school is open, the two old buildings will be demolished.

The district considered several options, including renovating the existing buildings or building an addition to the West building while demolishing the East building.

In the end, the district chose to build an entirely new high school, stating in the Act 34 documentation was the “most cost-effective solution.”

The Pennsbury School Board has approved a maximum project cost of $269,546,944 and a maximum building construction cost of $212,409,380.

Outgoing Pennsbury Chief Financial Officer Chris Berdnik has said that the total principal and interest payments for the project’s bonds would amount to $569.4 million, with the bonds being paid back by the early 2060s.

Some residents have raised concerns over the need for the new high school and worries over the costs, while others at public meetings have welcomed the project.

Residents and employees can review project information from Monday through the date of the hearing during regular business hours at the Pennsbury School District Administration Offices at 134 Yardley Avenue in the Fallsington section of Falls Township. The information is also available on the district’s website.

The Pennsbury School District Administration Building in Fallsington. File photo. Credit: Tom Sofield/LevittownNow.com

If construction begins in the spring of 2026, the project is expected to take four years to complete.

Public participation in the Act 34 process is encouraged, district officials said.

Written testimony can be submitted in advance to Superintendent Dr. Thomas Smith at the school district’s mailing address by 4 p.m. on Wednesday, Sept. 3. Written comments should include the sender’s name, municipality, and status as a district resident or employee, along with a statement of support or objection and suggested alternative solutions.

Spoken testimony will also be accepted at the hearing. A sign-in sheet will be available before the meeting, and remarks will be limited to five minutes per person.

After the hearing, additional written comments will be accepted until 4 p.m. on Monday, Oct. 6, 2025, and should be submitted to the district chief financial officer.

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