Council Rock to go green with grant money
The Council Rock School District was recently awarded $4 million in state grant money to aid construction projects at two middle schools, according to an announcement from State Rep. Steve Santarsiero (D., Bucks).
NEWTOWN The Council Rock School District was recently awarded $4 million in state grant money to aid construction projects at two middle schools, according to an announcement from State Rep. Steve Santarsiero (D., Bucks).
One grant, worth $2 million, will go toward replacing the current Newtown Middle School with an energy-efficient, 176,000-square-foot facility, Santarsiero said.
That facility, according to Gov. Wolf's office, would have geothermal heating and cooling, solar panels, and other environmentally friendly amenities. The building would be LEED Gold-certified, officials said, a distinction from the U.S. Green Building Council awarded to energy-efficient facilities.
The other grant, also worth $2 million, will be used for renovations at Holland Middle School in Northampton. When finished, that facility would also be LEED Gold certified, Wolf's office said.
Council Rock Superintendent Mark Klein could not be reached for comment Tuesday afternoon. Santarsiero, in a statement, said the new projects would make the district "a leader in efforts to preserve our environment, while also improving the learning environment for students and teachers." - Chris Palmer