By Natalie Dupuis, Correspondent, The Times
DOWNINGTOWN – The Downingtown Area School District entered into a land agreement with Exton-based developer The Hankin Group last night at its November board meeting.
In 2006, DASD acquired 242 acres of land from Siemens Medical Solutions Health Services Corp. for an estimated $22 million. At the time of purchase, the original intent was to build a third high school, as well as another elementary school and middle school. Later in the process, the board found the zoning inadequate to build those structures.
Fast forward to Wednesday evening, when the school board voted 7-2 to sell the land to The Hankin Group in segments. The Hankin Group is best known for its development of Eagleview, the commercial and residential complex in Exton. In fact, the reason the district chose The Hankin Group as the buyer is because of the success of the Eagleview complex.
Before the vote, board members Suzanne Simonelli and Thomas Ost-Prisco spoke out against the agreement.
“The school district’s mission is to educate students,” said Simonelli. “We shouldn’t be party to a venture that is involved with developing land. The district has no qualifications for this and neither tax dollars or taxpayer properties should be utilized in such activities.”
Both board members were clear that their opposition to the project had nothing to do with The Hankin Group, it was based solely on concern for the district’s involvement in a land development project.
There will be 50 acres set aside by The Hankin Group for the district with the anticipation of building another elementary school in the future. Board Vice President Barbara Hurt-Simmons voiced her support for the sale of the land.
“We are doing our due diligence to serve the community in providing options for school sites down the road.”
Solicitor Guy Donatelli was clear in that this will be a lengthy process that will include at least one court appearance.
In other district news, the board voted to retain District Superintendent Dr. Lawrence Mussoline for another term. This is the first time since 1994 that the district has retained a superintendent for a second term.
Also, the board will be voting in December to alter slightly the graduation requirements at Downingtown East, West, and the S.T.E.M. Academy. The modified policy will allow for high school administrators to approve curriculum changes on an individual basis so that students are taking the classes that apply best to their career path. If approved, students and parents can fill out a waiver and request that the student take an extra major subject class in place of another major subject. Board President Jane Bertone gave this example: if a student knows they are attending a pre-med program, they can take two sciences during their senior year, but opt out of a fourth year of a social studies class.
The details and logistics of how to obtain the waiver and when to turn it in will be laid out by the December meeting.
