According to Pequea Valley School District (PVSD) assistant superintendent Rich Eby, trying to make innovative new programs work in a building that was designed for the prevailing thoughts on education more than 60 years ago was akin to putting square pegs in round holes. "In the other building, we were trying to fit our programs into the individual classrooms," explained Eby. "Now (in the new building) everything is exactly aligned to our vision, from the large common area to the First Choice Career Center and from science and agriculture to the C.O.R.E. Academy.

That vision, according to PVSD superintendent Erik Orndorff, includes giving each student the education necessary to help achieve his or her career choice. "We say each learner counts, and we have 35 to 40% going to a four-year school (after graduating), we want to care about the other 60% and have them get a better occupation right out of high school."

Orndorff credited John Bowden, chief of finance and operations for PVSD, with overseeing the transformation of that vision into the new Pequea Valley Secondary School. Ground was broken in November of 2022 for the facility, which is built on land between the former intermediate and high schools. The building was finished and ready to accommodate more than 650 students when it opened on Aug. 19. Advanced security features, a student commons area in an atrium that lets in natural light with a food court at one end, and classrooms that are connected by meeting and maker spaces are hallmarks of the new building. Of the common area, Orndorff pointed out the "wow factor," noting the space will be used for booster rallies and other events that involve the student population.

"It's like our great room," stated Bowden, who pointed out the First Choice Career Center and online learning centers located to the right of the atrium. Continuing in that direction, the new science and agriculture classrooms are located adjacent to each other. On a tour of the building prior to its opening, Bowden showed off the new automated greenhouses and small animal room, complete with special ventilation and floor drains. "You will see a lot of interior garage doors so we can flow between rooms," pointed out Bowden, with the idea that teachers and students will collaborate on projects to facilitate learning and real-world problem-solving experiences.

The east side of the school also houses the C.O.R.E. (Career Occupation Relevancy Education) program, which serves PVHS students by teaching skill development while offering integrated academic instruction. The area includes a drafting room, welding bays, and a covered outdoor area for the construction of a tiny home. Bowden explained that PVSD students need not wait until junior or senior year to get the hands-on experience available at a county career center. One area has a reinforced floor so that a lift may be installed to use in teaching basic automotive maintenance, such as oil changes and brake work. A special ventilation unit will remove exhaust fumes. Internships are an important feature of the PVSD First Choice Career program. Teachers used information gathered from working with local businesses and their own knowledge to request specific educational aides. Bowden explained how offering hands-on training encourages student retention. "Kids drop out because they don't feel relevant," he said. "We started to do something (to remedy that), and this is the result."

On the west side of the building, teacher Jared Feister oversees a strength training facility that he called "world class." "Every box I had was checked," said Feister of the room and equipment he requested. This section of the school also includes an adaptive gym, which will serve students practicing wrestling, cheerleading, and gymnastics. The west side also houses two gymnasiums, a new auditorium that will seat more than 700, and a concession stand. Behind the stage, which will hold 150 students, is added space for constructing sets, dressing rooms with makeup stations, and an area for costume storage. Two new Steinway pianos are stored in a climate-controlled vault. Jim Ackerman's rock band club now has a larger room in which to practice.

Off the atrium, an esports room currently features 12 gaming stations with comfortable chairs. Bowden pointed out the adjustable colored lighting and said a tournament may be held there in the future.

On the second floor, the seventh- and eighth-grade rooms receive natural light from the atrium and the large windows designed in a style that complements the many glass garage doors on the first floor.

Science rooms in this area share storage, and meetings are encouraged in spaces created for that purpose. "We have an open collaborative space," said Bowden, who showed off the conference rooms in the media center, which is designed to serve the entire school population. An outdoor area on the second floor will allow teachers to hold classes outside on warm sunny days. The art room on the second floor features adjustable lighting and an outside exhibit area.

Orndorff noted that parts of the former high school will be preserved for continued use, including the gymnasium; office space to be used by PVSD administration; and the former library, which will serve as meeting space.

More information about the school may be found at http://www.pequeavalley.org.