Board Reviewing Final Options for Elementary Project (posted 04.10.25)

Mars Area School District is preparing to advertise for bids for a proposed $23.9 million expansion project at Mars Area Elementary School.

Earlier this week, Mars Area School Board continued its consideration of alternative options for the project, such as replacing terrazzo floors in the corridors of the planned, new three-story classroom addition with LVT tile and a poured terrazzo floor in the new cafeteria with HVT tile. Additional options include the use of aluminum windows in lieu of fiberglass windows in the addition; installing a cast iron boiler instead of a stainless steel boiler; and, updates to the school’s automatic temperature and HVAC controls.

For a planned fill area on the east side of the Doc’s Way access road, the Board is considering keeping the area as fill only, creating a temporary gravel parking area that would later be converted to a lawn, or converting the area into a permanent parking lot, said Thomas. The Board is also reviewing plans for two outdoor classroom spaces as well as a recently proposed renovation of the school’s existing administrative/nurse’s office.

In addition, in association with the Mars Area Elementary School project, the Board voted 6-2 in favor of awarding a bid for Primary Electrical Service Relocation to A-1 Electric Inc. at a cost of $150,000. (Board members Justin Miller and Aaron Rose cast the dissenting votes and John Kennedy was absent.) The work will include an underground trench with two conduits connecting electrical service from Route 228 directly to the elementary school.

The overall Mars Area Elementary School expansion project will include a new three-story classroom wing; a new cafeteria/kitchen; an expanded STEAM classroom and guidance suite in the location of the current cafeteria/kitchen. On the exterior, plans include a new, separate parent drop-off/pick-up area along the front of the building; a widened “Little Dipper” access road; a reconfigured Doc’s Way access road; a new cross-site roadway along the southern edge of the campus; and additional parking.

The District is now preparing to advertise for bids for the overall project. Bidding will open on Friday, April 11, and bids are expected to be awarded on Friday, May 16.

Once bids for the project are awarded, construction is expected to begin in May 2025 and to continue through Summer 2026, with the bulk of the work occurring during the summer months.

Mars Area School Board is expected to continue its discussion on the planned project at upcoming meetings. For more information, visit www.marsk12.org.

Board Reviews Interior Designs for Elementary Project (posted 03.11.25)

On March 11, Mars Area School Board reviewed interior design plans for a proposed $23.9 million expansion project at Mars Area Elementary School.

 

The design for the planned, new three-story classroom addition incorporates elements from the existing building, while also bringing in new design features, said Kayla Benton of DRAW Collective. The design plans use school colors as a means of “wayfinding” for the younger students (Grades K-1), who will be using the addition.

 

“A concept that we brought into this building is the idea of angles, so we have some walls that are on angles instead of just 90 degrees,” said Benton, noting that the design plan also includes striping and space-themed wall graphics.

 

Terrazzo flooring is planned in the hallways with vinal tile (LVT) flooring would be used in each classroom space, which will be equipped with a smartboard, three whiteboards, shelving and cabinets for storage, and cubbies, said Benton. Each kindergarten classroom will also have its own bathroom.

 

Original plans for the project included a learning stair connecting the ground and lower levels; however, the built-in seating has been removed to allow for more flexibility with the use of the space, said Benton. In the area of the staircase, two additional small group instruction/meeting spaces have been added to the plan.

 

A seating stair has been added in the main lobby of the addition, which will serve as a queuing point during the arrival/dismissal of students. Opposite the seating area, a “donor wall” would be installed with panels that allow for attachable plaques listing each donor’s information.

 

In addition to the new classroom wing, overall plans for the interior of the building include a new cafeteria/kitchen, with the old space being converted into an expanded STEAM classroom and a suite to house the school’s guidance offices.

 

On the exterior, plans include a new, separate parent drop-off/ pick-up area along the front of the building; a widened “Little Dipper” access road; a reconfigured Doc’s Way access road; a new cross-site roadway along the southern edge of the campus; and additional parking.

 

The Board is also reviewing several additional considerations, such as possibly enlarging the planned kitchen, renovating the school’s existing administrative/nurse’s office, a building-wide replacement of HVAC controls, and adding an additional parking area in a planned fill area on the east side of Doc’s Way.

 

Once the final designs for the project are completed and approved, construction is expected to begin in May 2025 and to continue through Summer 2026, with the bulk of the work occurring during the summer months. Mars Area School Board is expected to continue its discus-sions on the planned project at upcoming meetings.

 

For more information, visit https://4.files.edl.io/e85a/03/12/25/170415-3d0dad27-ce71-47f2-bff4-a8e670c88c70.pdf. 

Board Reviews Exterior Designs for Elementary Project (posted 02.04.25)

Earlier this week, Mars Area School Board had its first look at exterior designs for a proposed $23.9 million expansion project at Mars Area Elementary School.

The project would include a new student entrance where the new addition connects to the existing school at the western end of the building, says Mark Scheller of DRAW Collective. A canopy above the entrance would feature open trusswork, the District’s logo and appropriate lighting.

The project presents an opportunity to include pops of color with the addition of blue and gold paneling above the windows in the planned new three-story classroom wing and cafeteria/kitchen addition, says Scheller. The western wall of the new classroom wing could also include a curtain wall of glass.

The planned new cafeteria/kitchen on the west side of the addition could also feature an exterior curtain wall or simply additional windows to bring as much light into the space as possible, says Scheller. A canopy would be located along the exterior of the cafeteria to provide a shaded area for outdoor seating or to serve as a gathering space.

Outside of the new cafeteria wing, students would have access to the school’s west play area, says Scheller. On the east side of the addition, a new glass and panel stair tower would lead to an east playground, featuring both upper and lower play areas as well as a wide staircase connecting the two.

Overall plans for the exterior of the building include a new, separate parent drop-off/pick-up area along the front of the building; a widened “Little Dipper” access road; a reconfigured Doc’s Way access road; a new cross-site roadway along the southern edge of the campus; and additional parking. On the interior of the building, the existing cafeteria/kitchen would be converted into an expanded STEAM classroom and a suite to house the school’s guidance offices.

Once the final designs for the project are completed and approved, construction is expected to begin in May 2025 and to continue through Summer 2026, with the bulk of the work occurring during the summer months.

Mars Area School Board is expected to continue its discussion on the planned project at upcoming meetings. For more information, visit https://4.files.edl.io/4694/02/05/25/204619-95c1d759-5792-405c-be96-926c9f77e0f6.pdf.  

Options for Flexible Learning Spaces

Mars Area School District is refining its plans for a proposed $23.9 million expansion project at Mars Area Elementary School.

On Nov. 6, Mark Scheller, principal architect with DRAW Collective, presented Mars Area School Board with options for creating flexible learning spaces within the new three-story classroom addition that is planned on the northwest corner of the building as well as in the existing building.

“It is really important to let (students) own a little bit more of their education and engage in a way that is not just in a classroom environment,” said Scheller, noting that this can be accomplished by utilizing hallways and otherwise unused areas to create a “tapestry of learning spaces” with resource rooms and project studios as well as learning steps and small group, work and focus areas. 

“There is a great opportunity in the building to create these spaces,” said Scheller. “The key thing here is flexibility and allowing spaces for various groups, from two to three to five to 12, to be used throughout the building.”

The overall project would include a new three-story addition on the northwest corner of the building. The Main Floor Level would have six dedicated kindergarten classrooms as well as two additional classrooms.

The Ground Floor Level would have nine classrooms, two additional learning spaces, and a new cafeteria/kitchen that would be able to accommodate approximately 330 students at a time. The Lower Floor level would have nine traditional classrooms and two special education spaces.

The project also includes extensive renovations to the school’s existing cafeteria/kitchen to convert the space into an enlarged STEAM classroom and a suite to house the school’s guidance offices.

The District is considering additional options for the project, which may include minor alterations to the school’s administration offices and nurse’s suite; a new building-wide public address system, a possible roof replacement; and additional parking, said Jon M. Thomas of Thomas & Williamson Program Management. As part of the project, all parking areas would be expanded and/or reconfigured and the Doc’s Way access road would be straightened to connect directly to the school’s main driveway on the eastern side of the campus.

The latest plans separate Doc’s Way from any the parking areas to avoid any restrictions to traffic flows, said Thomas. A new cross-site roadway planned along the southern edge of the campus will also keep the flow of traffic away from the parking areas.

Plans also include a new, separate parent drop-off/pick-up area along the front of the building in the area of the addition, said Thomas. And, the school’s playground would be relocated to the northeast portion of the campus and would include separate soft play and hard play areas.

Once the final designs for the project are complete and approved, construction is expected to begin in May 2025 and continue through Summer 2026, with the bulk of the work occurring during the summer months.

Mars Area School Board is expected to continue its discussion on the planned project at upcoming meetings. For more information, visit www.marsk12.org.

 

Mars Area School Board received its first look at interior plans for a proposed $23.9 million expansion project at Mars Area Elementary School.

The project would include a new three-story addition on the northwest corner of the building, said Mark Scheller, principal architect with DRAW Collective. The Main Floor Level would have six dedicated kindergarten classrooms as well as two additional classroom spaces.

On the Ground Floor Level, plans include a new cafeteria/kitchen that would be able to accommodate approximately 300 students at a time, said Scheller. The level would also have nine classrooms, along with two additional special education classrooms and “learning stairs” that would transition to a Lower Floor Level. The Lower Floor Level would have an additional nine classrooms as well as a learning support classroom and sensory room.

On the exterior of the building, the project would establish a new, separate parent drop-off/pick-up area along the front of the building in the area of the addition. And, a new cross-site roadway would be constructed along the southern edge of the school’s parking area.  

The Doc’s Way access road would be straightened to connect directly to the school’s main driveway on the eastern side of the campus and all parking areas would be expanded and/or reconfigured. The school’s playground would be relocated to the northeast portion of the campus and would include separate soft play and hard play areas.

Discussions are continuing on means to avoid any environmental impacts in the areas of the new construction, said Jon M. Thomas of Thomas & Williamson Program Management, noting that survey work is ongoing. The architect is reviewing requests and suggestions from building administrators and staff members regarding specific areas of the plans.  

Once the final designs for the project are approved, construction is expected to begin in May 2025 and continue through Summer 2026, with the bulk of the work occurring during the summer months.

Conceptual Design Summary

Mars Area School Board is reviewing conceptual designs for an approximately $23.9 million expansion project at Mars Area Elementary School.

The initial designs for the project include a two-wing addition at the northwest corner of the building, said Mark Scheller, principal architect with DRAW Collective. The designs include a two- or three-story classroom wing as well as a wing to house a new cafeteria/kitchen and, possibly, additional classroom space.

The project would establish a new, separate parent drop-off/pick-up area along the front of the building in the area of the addition. And, a new cross-site roadway would be constructed along the southern edge of the school’s parking area.

The Doc’s Way access road would be straightened to connect directly to the school’s main driveway on the eastern side of the campus and all parking areas would be expanded and/or reconfigured. In addition, the school’s playground would be relocated to the northeast portion of the campus.

These conceptual plans work in conjunction with the Elementary School’s existing elevations and avoid interfering with the wetlands to the north of the campus, said Jon M. Thomas of Thomas & Williamson Program Management. Once the final designs for the project are approved, construction would begin in May 2025 and continue through Summer 2026, with the bulk of the work occurring during the summer months.

Mars Area School Board is expected to continue to discuss the planned project at its upcoming meeting. For more information, call (724) 625-1518.