Northampton Area School District Board of Education is expected to consider five options for refurbishing Moore Elementary School.

The proposals were outlined and discussed at the Oct. 21 board of education facilities committee meeting in the Northampton Area High School library conference room.

The options were agreed upon by the facilities committee after the school board voted to keep Moore Elementary open and to approve $20 million in renovations for the elementary school, built in 1956.

The options for Moore are expected to be presented at the school board meeting, planned for 7 p.m. Nov. 11 in the auditorium at NAHS, 1619 Laubach Ave.

Meanwhile, “a special meeting of the NASD school board for the sole purpose of issuing the bonds necessary to fund the new East Allen Elementary School” will be held 6 p.m. Oct. 28 in the NAHS auditorium.

The board of education voted 5-4 at the Oct. 14 board meeting to reject a parameters resolution to authorize issuance of general obligation bonds, series of 2025, for $37.2 million in an internet auction to fund the East Allen Elementary School and education center.

“The board will have a special meeting primarily to discuss the financing of the Moore project and the voting down of the bond by the majority of the board on Monday (Oct. 14), which is the money needed to fund the East Allen school,” NASD Superintendent of Schools Joseph S. Kovalchik stated in an Oct. 16 email response to a Northampton Press reporter’s question about the ramifications of the Oct. 14 board vote.

Construction of the Route 329 project at Seemsville Road, East Allen Township, began in November 2023.

East Allen Elementary School is to open in the fall of 2026 for the 2026-27 academic year.

In addition to the elementary school, the facility will include the NASD information technology department and administration center.

A ceremonial groundbreaking ceremony was held Sept. 19 at the site.

School directors voted 8-1 at the Oct. 14 meeting not to approve “the closure of Moore Elementary School upon completion of the East Allen Elementary School.”

School directors voted 6-3 at the Oct. 14 meeting to spend $20 million on partial restoration of Moore Elementary, to begin in the summer of 2025 after the 2024-25 academic year concludes.

The majority of the one-hour Oct. 21 facilities meeting was spent discussing renovation options for Moore. Updates on district projects were presented by NASD Director of Operations Jonathan Jenny, who chaired the meeting.

Toward the conclusion of the meeting, it was decided five options will be prepared by Christopher W. Haller, project engineer, D’Huy Engineering Inc., district consulting engineer, in collaboration with Jenny.

The general outline of the proposals for Moore renovations to be presented for consideration at the Nov. 11 school board meeting include the following.

• $25 million, based on partial renovation, as previously presented, which includes classroom air unit ventilators

• $25 million, to include four-pipe HVAC system

• $25 million, to include four-pipe HVAC system and EPDM or built-up roof

• $20 million, to include unit ventilators and built-up roof

• $20 million, to include four-pipe HVAC, new sewer system, new water system and new playground

If the board approves one of the options at the Nov. 11 school board meeting, specifics could be drawn up and a vote could be held on a contract that might be awarded at the 6:30 p.m. Dec. 2 school board meeting in the NAHS auditorium. The school board reorganization meeting is set for 6:15 p.m. Dec. 2, also in the auditorium.

The consensus of the facilities committee is that work on the renovation of Moore should commence in the summer of 2025.

“If we don’t do it (Moore renovation) now, we’ll kick it down the road so it never gets done,” said Brian McCulloch, school director and facilities committee member, who represents Bath and Chapman boroughs and Moore Township.

“If it doesn’t start next summer, it will never start,” said McCulloch of renovating Moore.

“Doing it in one summer is going to be difficult,” Jenny said. “We’re on an extremely tight timeline.”

“Maybe there’s a way to spread it over two summers,” Haller said.

“I think over two summers is an advantage to us. I believe it might delay some of the expenses,” said school Director Kim Bretzik, who represents Bath and Chapman boroughs and Moore Township and who attended the Oct. 21 facilities committee meeting. Bretzik made the proposal at the Oct. 14 board meeting for $20 million to renovate Moore.

“Our point about the Route 329 project is that we should have negotiated. That’s my regret about how that transpired,” Bretzik said.

It was agreed that Moore renovation work not completed in the summer of 2025 could carry over to summer 2026.

The facilities committee said the priorities for Moore renovation are roof, HVAC, water system, sewer system and playground — all new.

“We’re going to have to add some structural steel to support the roof (for HVAC),” Haller said.

The differences and attributes of EPDM (Ethylene Propylene Diene Terpolymer) roofing compared to a built-up roof were discussed. EPDM is described as a durable synthetic rubber roofing membrane.

“EPDM has gotten a lot better,” Haller said.

Haller said either of the roofing systems has a 20- to 25-year lifetime.

The merits of a four-pipe HVAC system versus unit ventilators were discussed. An HVAC system can have zone adjustments and better reduce humidity.

“We’re putting four-pipe systems in every school,” Jenny said.

The decision to renovate Moore rather than demolish it and build anew was noted.

“I think the three of us agreed to a total knockdown and build anew for Moore,” said Ross Makary, school director and facilities committee member, representing Northampton Borough and East Allen Township.

“I would love to, but we don’t have the money. Someone has to pay for it,” said Joshua Harris, school director and facilities committee member, who represents Bath and Chapman boroughs and Moore Township.

The options for Moore Elementary, a 68-year-old building on a 17.75-acre site along 2835 Mountain View Drive (Route 946), Moore Township, previously presented were partial renovation, $27,432,953; full renovation, $53,975,006; and demolition and replacement, $73,068,090.

In addition to financing the $75.8 million East Allen Elementary School construction and Moore Elementary School renovation, NASD is to contribute to the Bethlehem Area Vocational Technical School expansion project. NASD, Saucon Valley School District and Bethlehem Area School District help fund BAVTS for their respective districts’ students.

NASD Business Administrator Craig Neiman presented an options menu and potential taxing plan at both the Sept. 16 facilities committee meeting and the Oct. 14 school board meeting.

“I think we need to make the school (Moore) function day in and day out,” Harris said.

”If we’re going to do it (renovate Moore), then we’ve got to do it right,” said Moore Elementary School Principal Curtis Dimmick, who attended the Oct. 21 facilities committee meeting. “I need to know what impact it’s going to have on our teachers and students.”

“We’re going to do it the right way,” Jenny said.