The Penn Manor School District completed a study culminating with the planned renovations and additions to the existing Penn Manor High School while using guiding principles that established the parameters of the design. The facility is a comprehensive 9-12 high school that supports the second largest Agricultural edcuation curriculum in the state of Pennsylvania. The building addresses the changing educational pedagogy and the increasing effect of technology on the educational delivery system.

The facility addresses the social, emotional, academic and physical needs of the students and significantly improves educational program adjacencies to foster collaborative learning. The efficiently designed building significantly improves internal circulation and wayfinding, creating a public and academic core area joined by a series of collaborative spaces including small breakout areas, social and learning stairs as well as faculty support spaces. The basis of the core academic area is the large open STEAM lab that unifies the associated curriculum and where the A stands for Art as well as Agriculture edcuation.

After visioning, and an extensive programming/planning process, site options and building concepts were developed prior to the district holding large community and Town Hall style meetings for nine months prior to the Board approving the additions and renovations to the existing high school.

The 37-acre site housed the former junior high and high school buildings of the 1950’s that were physically attached in the early1990’s resulting in a population hampered by travel distance within the structure as well as restricting flexibility of the educational schedule. In addition, the existing site elevation varied over 65 feet from top to bottom.

The three year, multi-phased construction process culminated in a greatly reduced building footprint, dedicated vehicular access and a separate bus zone. The construction is masonry bearing, brick veneer with elements of steel framing, metal cladding with clerestory windows allowing natural light to penetrate the multi-story spaces.

The interior materials elevate the facility to a more collegiate feel, allowing for easy wayfinding and most importantly collaborative learning. Small and large group areas, collaboration spaces with faculty planning provide for a departmental organization but allow for individualized training plans for students, a key goal of the strategic vision of the administration.