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A new sixth-grade academy at Founders' Hall Middle School will open its doors in August 2014.

McKeesport Area school directors reviewed plans for the new two-and-a-half story sixth-grade academy at Founders' Hall Middle School at a public hearing in February.

The new sixth-grade annex will allow the district to consolidate all students into five buildings and create new magnet school programs in math and language. School directors approved the redistricting plan in February.

Ryan Pierce, president and CEO of contracting firm JC Pierce LLC, said the annex will sit parallel to Eden Park Boulevard adjacent to the existing parking lot, connecting with the main building via the first floor.

Spanning two floors plus part of the basement, the sixth-grade academy will hold about 250 students and feature 14 general classrooms, one life skills classroom, one science classroom, two small group instruction rooms, one large group instruction rooms, one faculty room and one wrestling room with adjacent locker rooms.

Pierce said the addition will be designed to "integrate (the) new architecture into the old so its fits comfortably" with the existing Founders' Hall building.

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Along with the annex, new girls and boys locker rooms will be added as "wings" to both sides of the main gymnasium, in addition to a training room, a presentation room, team rooms and offices.

Until the new building is complete, all sixth-grade students will spend the 2013-14 school year at the White Oak Elementary building. Grades seven and eight will remain at Founders' Hall.

The sixth-grade academy and gymnasium additions are estimated to cost about $14.5 million, which the district can finance by using cash, a short-term loan or a general obligation bond issue.

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MASD business manager David Seropian said the debt increase for the project is equivalent to about 0.43 mills in property tax.

"We do not have the cash to pay for this project," said Seropian, suggesting that a bond issue through financial services firm Janney Montgomery Scott would be the most favorable option for this project.

However, he said the construction project qualifies for more than $5 million in state reimbursement, or about 34.6 percent of the total project cost.

Finances are understandably on the minds of school officials as the board prepares next year's budget. School Director Tom Maglicco, who chairs the board's finance committee, cautioned fellow board members at the February meeting that, "this budget year is going to be as challenging as last year's."

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According to Maglicco, the most significant expenditures for the 2013-2014 budget will be a 37 percent increase in state pension obligations, a 5 percent increase in health care costs, an increase in charter school tuition, and an increase in debt service payments for ongoing construction projects

In addition, the district continues to face losses in federal and state grants. Maglicco said the new "State of the States" report revealed that Pennsylvania ranks 42nd in the percentage of public-school costs funded by state versus local government.

School Board President Patricia Maksin said that MASD will be hit with a $400,000 loss due to the public education impacts from the federal sequestration.

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Another financial consideration that the board addressed at the February meeting was the repair of the leaking high school roof. Seropian said approximately $1.7 million worth of repairs are needed, and recommended that the board transfer $500,000 from the district's capital fund to the capital reserve, then wait to review the fund balance at end of the fiscal year.

At that time, he said, the board can determine whether it should transfer additional money to the capital reserve to pay off the remaining amount or include the balance in the bond issue funding the sixth grade academy.

The board approved the fund transfer at the February meeting.

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As for the ongoing district-wide realignment, new names for the city's primary and intermediate schools go into effect this August.

According to Superintendent Dr. Timothy Gabauer, all three elementary school buildings used will function under the new school names at the start of the school year.

The new "Twin Rivers" name will be applied to the Centennial and George Washington buildings until completion of a new school building currently under construction along Cornell Avenue. The building is scheduled to open in early 2014.

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