The following article originally appeared in the Juniata High School Newspaper, the Arrowhead. 

Last year, the Juniata County School District began the process of consolidating five of its elementary schools: Lack-Tuscarora Elementary, Walker Elementary, Tuscarora Valley Elementary, Mountain View Elementary, and Fermanagh Elementary. All of these schools were to be consolidated into one elementary school located at the site of Fermanagh Elementary in Mifflintown. 

Many sizable additions were made to Fermanagh in order to create a building large enough to accommodate the students and faculty from the other four schools. These additions have at least doubled the square footage of the original building. 

Among the additions is a new gymnasium, which includes a large stage where the students’ concerts and other performances can take place. This gymnasium provides a valuable extra location for the games and practices of the school district’s sports teams. Another addition to the building is an entirely new wing. This wing is made up of three stories, each of which contains several classrooms. A new cafeteria was also added to the school. The school’s original cafeteria was demolished and its replacement is far more spacious.

The construction of these additions began towards the end of the 2017-2018 school year and continued over the summer break and into the first half of the 2018-2019 year. The new school, renamed Juniata Elementary, welcomed all of its new students for the first time after the conclusion of Christmas break. The construction work on the building is yet to be entirely complete, but enough has been completed so that the school is fully functional.

The students and faculty of Juniata Elementary are still adjusting to the many changes, but with the help of the rest of the school district and community, they are adjusting nicely to their new school.

By: Valorie Fisher