Pennsbury To Break Ground On New High School Within Two Weeks

Construction on the new $269.5 million Pennsbury High School is slated to begin within the next two weeks.

Superintendent Dr. Thomas Smith notified the community this week that the project will soon bring noticeable changes to the campus along Hood Boulevard.

Initial work for the new building includes the installation of perimeter fencing and the delivery of heavy equipment.

“As construction begins, you can expect several temporary changes on campus,” Smith wrote. “Parking for all events will be more limited than usual, and a construction fence will be installed around designated areas of the property.”

Smith said all contractors will have to have appropriate clearances and that work zones will remain “secure and separate from students and student activities.”

“We understand that these changes may cause inconvenience, particularly with parking and traffic flow,” Smith said. “This temporary disruption is helping to make way for a safer, more modern, and enhanced high school experience for our entire community.”

Students were advised recently that the gravel parking lot off Queen Anne Drive will be blocked off as part of the work. Students will have to look at parking on Hood Boulevard, taking the bus, being dropped off by parents, or carpooling with other students as existing campus parking is already filled.

For the 2026-2027 school year, Pennsbury administration has prioritized parking for seniors due to limited space, according to a note to high schoolers.

The new 495,000-square-foot high school is designed to accommodate between 2,800 and 3,000 students and staff. It will replace the current East and West buildings.

District officials expect the new school to open in September 2029.

After the move-in to the new building, demolition of the existing East and West buildings is scheduled to begin in October 2029.

The new high school also received approvals from the Falls Township Board of Supervisors and the Bristol Township Council. The campus is primarily in Falls Township, but a small portion of the property extends into Bristol Township.

According to design plans presented by Mike Strohecker of KCBA Architects, the school will feature a 3,000-seat gymnasium and an eight-lane swimming pool, an 800-seat auditorium with dedicated arts spaces, a 250-foot-long commons area with eight study nooks, and gender-neutral restrooms with sinks located in monitored corridors.

The new building will be equipped with more than 300 cameras and a secure vestibule featuring bulletproof glass, officials said.

The layout allows for a future 40-classroom expansion if enrollment increases.

As part of an effort to better manage traffic, a new parent drop-off system will use a central driveway on Olds Boulevard.

The project will be paid for through borrowed funds and a property tax increase of 14.6 mills phased over four years. For a home with a median assessment of $32,000, officials previously projected a first-year tax increase of $287.

School officials have said the new building is needed, but the project has faced community concerns regarding its total cost, its size, and the potential impact on surrounding neighborhoods.