Northern Cambria School District details new building plans

NORTHERN CAMBRIA, Pa. (WTAJ) — Construction is underway on the new facility being added to the Northern Cambria elementary and middle school complex.

With this expansion, the existing building will hold all grades from kindergarten through 12th grade under one roof. A decline in student population has allowed for the district to make this transition.

Superintendent Dr. Laura Fisanick said that bringing all of the students onto the same campus will allow them to address some challenges the school district is facing. Like many other neighboring districts, Northern Cambria has seen a decrease in staff numbers and bringing all of the students to the same building will allow for teachers to help cover any gaps.

Recently, the district made changes to the initial plans for the building, adding a third weight room and reducing the size of a storage area in the cafeteria.

Fisanick said these changes were made to benefit both the students and the taxpayers as they have already saved the school money.

“We have a contingency plan of $650,000. We would like to have all our $650,000 when we are finished with the project, but with any building project, there’s always unforeseen incidents or unforeseen costs that happen. Currently, right now, we’re in good shape,” Fisanick said.

The project will cost an estimated $29 million and the school is using money it already had in savings to start the project. The district’s budget for the upcoming school year does not include a tax increase.

Get the latest news, weather forecasts and sports stories delivered straight to your inbox! Sign up for our newsletters .

The new space will also include a robotics lab and a fine arts area. Fisanick said that the plans for this building have been five years in the making and it is anticipated to open for the 2025-2026 school year.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WTAJ - www.wtaj.com.