Frequently Asked Questions: Questions and answers developed with our community in mind

+ How has our enrollment increased?

RTMSD is a vibrant, growing school district.Addressing space needs as they occur is necessary for districts like ours. The best predictor of future enrollment is what we see happening across our elementary enrollment numbers. Since the 2016-2017 school year, elementary enrollment has increased by almost 200 students — from 1,727 students to 1,915 students.

Over time, as students move from our elementary schools, enrollment in other grades will grow. This increase will cause similar increases in upper grades over the next decade. For example, grade 6-8 enrollment is on track to exceed 1,000 students for the first time in the next two years. Since the 2016 - 2017 school year, our overall student enrollment has grown by almost 6% — from 3,872 students for the 2014 - 2015 school year to 4,086 students for the 2021 - 2022 school year.

Overall, we are not seeing any decline in enrollment at the elementary level for the rest of the decade. This is why RTMSD approved a new elementary school – to address current space needs and to be prepared if additional housing units are developed during the remainder of this decade. We will keep watching middle and high school enrollment as it is likely to continue to increase as the recent growth in K-2 enrollment works its way into the secondary grades. If necessary, we will address those space needs in a future plan. Click here to learn more about our needs.

+ How many students attend each elementary school?

Currently, all of the District’s elementary schools are either at or over their maximum capacity. This, combined with the District’s rapidly growing enrollment, is the primary reason to build an additional elementary school.

+ Why are we addressing our District’s needs in a phased plan instead of all at the same time?

Addressing these needs in phases will allow us to make incremental and impactful changes over the course of several years. The District will be fiscally cautious with our taxpayer dollars by waiting for additional investments, a critical priority to our School Board.

+ Why isn’t the District just expanding our existing schools?

The District considered five different options to address our increased elementary enrollment growth, including building additions to our existing schools and building a school on land already owned by the District. Ultimately, the District decided the best option for the community, our students and our critical facility needs was building a new elementary school. You can learn more about the process here.

+ Has the District considered the number of students who may elect to go to private schools in the new developments?

Yes, our enrollment projections factor in the projected number of families who will send students to private schools. For each type of property in our District (single-family homes, apartments, townhomes, carriage homes, etc.), the District uses the historical proportion of students that attend public school vs. private school to project future student populations. Professional demographers use a calculation based on the type and cost of the new housing to project the number of students who may come from the new housing development. For single-family luxury homes, a factor of .30 (home prices over 1 million) to .50 (home prices $600-900K) was utilized. For 2-bedroom luxury apartments, a factor of .05 was utilized. For mid-level townhomes priced around $400,000-$500,000, a factor of .25 was utilized.

+ What about parity for other elementary schools?

Parity and full-day Kindergarten are both long-term goals of RTMSD. The District will continue to invest in its other schools to maintain the quality of education for all students.

+ Who conducted feasibility studies and when?

Marotta Main Architects, ICS, Joseph Barbato Associates & GD Houtman & Sons completed feasibility studies in 2018.

+ How has COVID-19 affected this process?

The pandemic has caused us to change how we reach students. But, it’s also highlighted the importance of our schools and the role they play in our community. Daily teacher-to-student contact is still a critical need if we are going to provide a world-class education.

In the long-term, the way education is delivered will continue to evolve, but the need for teacher and student interaction and safe, healthy buildings will remain. Although the COVID-19 pandemic and demographic shifts may potentially change the amount of educational space needed, it does not negate the need for additional space.

+ What will the traffic impact be on a typical school day?

During a typical school day, the estimated traffic would be between 60 and 95 vehicles:

• 20-25 teachers & teacher aides
• 10 various administrators and support personnel
• 20-40 parent drop-offs (this number may be reduced if bus trips are shortened)
• 6-8 buses depending on capacity
• 5 daily parent visitors/volunteers

NOTE: Six buses and approximately 45 parents already use Route 352 daily to travel from Edgmont to Glenwood Elementary to drop off/pick up students who live in Edgmont.

+ What road work will be done?

Route 352 will need slight modifications to access the new elementary school. Road work will be limited to temporary shoulder work, adding turn lanes, and creating a deceleration lane on Route 352. Modifications will be limited to the ultimate right of way of the existing PennDot easements. A stoplight has been requested by the township, to make left turns and pedestrian crossings easier and safer.

As of October 2021, permits for planned road work are currently in the preliminary development and review process. A traffic study of the proposed site is being completed in November 2021. All road work will be subject to review and approval by PennDOT in conjunction with Edgmont Township.

+ Will the new school require additional police? Or will Edgmont Township need to change their partnership?

This issue is currently being discussed with the Township.

+ Will road work affect neighboring septic fields near the road?

No, road construction will not affect septic fields. All road improvements will be subject to review and comment by PennDOT to ensure that construction is safe and does not adversely affect existing infrastructure.

+ Will land on the school’s new site be leveled?

The site will be selectively cleared as needed to create a building pad, parking lots and stormwater basins as shown on preliminary plans. Within the current site plan, approximately 9.5 acres of existing trees will be preserved along the rear and west sides of the combined property. The District, along with our design and construction teams, is dedicated to saving existing trees wherever possible.

+ What will happen with the remaining land not used for the building/parking? Will this project reduce green space in Edgmont Township?

After construction is completed, the site will feature more green space and less impervious surface than a “typical” commercial or residential development on the same site. Much of the land not built upon will remain untouched and be used as outdoor classroom spaces where students can directly learn from and explore their natural environment.

Other areas will be turned into green fields for physical education, as well as space for stormwater retention which can double as a rain garden. Our District is making every effort possible to maintain the surrounding natural environment of the site.

+ Will wildlife on the site be affected by the clearing of the land?

As with the construction of any home, apartment, or commercial building, wildlife may indeed be temporarily affected. Partial clearing of existing brush will be required to make room for the school’s footprint and parking lot, the intent is to retain as much of the existing vegetation and wooded areas as possible.

+ Will the school lead to increased urbanization in Edgmont?

The need for an additional elementary school is a response to development that has been ongoing in Edgmont Township for several years, which has contributed to our growing enrollment. As the area continues to grow, our District has a responsibility to fulfill our mutual obligation to educate its children.

Different from how developers would purchase and use the land for new housing developments, the District will make every effort to preserve heavily wooded areas to the north and west of the new site. The design of the school will use materials and colors to complement the existing buildings in Edgmont Township.

+ Will the school increase noise or light pollution?

During construction, there may be temporary noise from machinery and vehicles working on site. Once construction is completed, noise will be limited to student voices from gym classes and recess and intermittent vehicle traffic during student drop-off and pick-up (around 9 a.m. and 3:30 p.m.)

Light pollution will be negligible. There will not be any lighting installed at athletic fields; and the building and parking lot lights will be limited to downward-directed fixtures for safety and security during the evenings. Lighting calculations will be completed to ensure that lighting from the selected fixtures at the property boundaries of the school will be minimal to zero. That being said, the lighting source (building and parking lot lights) may be visible from the road or adjacent properties. Screening from natural vegetation on site (existing and planted) will also help obscure visibility.

+ Will there be a visual/acoustic barrier between the school and surrounding properties?

Yes. A barrier will be incorporated into the final plan in conjunction with the Township’s ordinances. The school will be set back from the road, and additional measures will be taken to minimize the visual and acoustic impact of the school, including maintaining a large portion of the wooded area surrounding the site.

+ How does the District propose to handle driveway easements?

The District would propose to work within the right of way of the existing easements, but PA-DOT has the final say on how the final plan would look.

+ What will become of the zoning for the church land?

The District is not seeking a change in zoning category from residential to commercial or industrial. The zoning will remain residential. The District is seeking a single-use exception, not a zoning change.

+ Will the school have a septic system or be tied into the existing sewer system?

The District has designed the new school with an on-site sewer system as there is currently no public sewer access to the site. The Township has asked that the District also explore the feasibility of tying into the public sewer system which is currently over three miles from the site. The District and its project team are currently exploring the cost of both options and will make a decision after further evaluation.

+ Will drilling for the school’s ground source heat pump affect the area’s aquifer?

No. The planned system will operate on a closed-loop, so it should not have any impact on drinking water. All proposed drilling and geothermal work will be done in accordance with federal EPA and PA State Department of Environmental Protection regulations. Water will not be removed or added to the aquifer.

+ What will happen if something of historical significance is found while excavating the church on the site’s property?

If something of historical significance is found underneath the church or in the ground, the District will contact an archaeologist or other expert for assistance. All appropriate parties would be contacted to determine next steps.

+ Did the District consider the location of pipelines when selecting the site for the proposed new school?

The District looked carefully at numerous sites for the placement of the new elementary school, and worked with engineers and other experts in selecting the site for the new school.

PIPELINE LOCATION: Similar to other developments in this area, there are several types of pipelines near the school site. The Mariner East II (ME2) is located ¾ of a mile from the proposed school location. Closer, on the outermost northeast corners of the property, there are two Texas East 20-inch-diameter parallel pipelines which exclusively carry compressed natural gas for heating and cooking by homes and businesses. They are not part of the Mariner East II pipeline. Both Texas East pipelines have been operating safely since entering service, one since the 1940s and the other since the 1960s.

EVALUATING SAFETY AND RISK: The District continues to rely on official government studies, data and recommendations to make informed decisions related to utility infrastructure throughout the District. To inform site selection of the new elementary school, the District reviewed independent risk studies completed for the Mariner East 2 and natural gas pipelines such as the Citizen Risk Assessment, the G2 Mariner East and Adelphia Pipeline Risk Assessment, the Purple Book, a report prepared for the Pipeline Safety Trust, and information from the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA) Office of Pipeline Safety.

These studies and reports indicate that the proposed location of the school is outside the maximum hazard zone (calculated by using a worst case scenario of an incident occurring) of the Mariner East 2 with a 0% risk probability of a fatal occurrence at this location due to a ME2 pipeline hazard. At the proposed distance of the school from the Texas East pipeline (approximately 270 feet), the probability of a fatal occurrence due to a pipeline hazard related to this natural gas pipeline is less than 3 in 10 million (potential hazardous radius of 391 feet).

Approved development takes place continually near pipelines in Pennsylvania based on advice and research from experts. As the District continues with its planning and design process, orienting the building with a consideration of preserving safe distances from pipelines is part of this process.

REGULATION OF PIPELINE SAFETY: The safe transportation of pipeline products is federally regulated by two sets of U.S. Department of Transportation Regulations, 49 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR), Parts 190, 191, 192, and 196 for gas pipelines like the Texas East, and 49 CFR Parts 190, 194, 195, and 196 for hazardous liquid pipelines. Separate U.S. Department of Transportation regulations for liquified natural gas (LNG) like the ME2 are found under 49 CFR Part 193. These regulations provide the safety standards for pipelines.

Specific questions about pipelines within our District should be directed toward the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) here and the U.S. Department of Transportation Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration here. These governmental organizations ensure the safety of our nation's network of pipelines.

Additionally, the Pennsylvania Public Utilities Commission requires pipeline operators to monitor the safety and integrity of its pipelines 24 hours a day, 7 days a week through an Integrity Management Program. Pipeline operators are also required to participate in school-specific hazard response planning with District personnel and county emergency responders, which has occurred for the District’s existing schools. These collaborative planning sessions will also occur for the new school to inform both shelter-in-place and evacuation procedures for a variety of scenarios, including pipeline-specific hazards.

LOCAL REQUIREMENTS: Edgmont Township has adopted the Pennsylvania Uniform Construction Code which has incorporated the 2015 International Building Codes. The Township has adopted some exceptions to the Uniform Construction Code by Township Ordinance #184, #186, and #196. The Township Code can be accessed by clicking here and the new school is required to meet these requirements.

+ Would the pipeline be disturbed by construction?

No, the construction operations for the building of the new school will not disturb the pipeline. The District will be submitting plans and information to the pipeline owner, Enbridge, prior to starting construction and will adhere to all safety guidelines as required. The pipeline right-of-way will be clearly marked out during construction, including a safety barrier, so that it’s location is identified and access to the right-of-way is not permitted. In coordination with dozens of other evaluation criteria, the District made the conscious decision to select a site that reflects modern safety standards for construction near pipelines.