PENN HILLS, Pa. — The halls of Penn Hills Elementary are filled with nervous energy, waiting for 1,300 students to start the new year.
"Excitement in the air because it's an opportunity to bring families, students and staff to grow our school community," said principal Kristin Brown.
Brown gave Channel 11 a tour of the $40 million building.
The district consolidated its elementary schools to make one large school for pre-K to fourth grade.
“We've worked really hard this past year to combine the final remaining three school communities,” said Brown. ”We did a lot of in servicing and community nights so that they were prepared to come together as Penn Hills Elementary. “
Brown said this will be one “smart school” full of technology.
Smartboards and computers are in every classroom, and coming soon, the Imaginarium, a learning space that looks like the control room of a space ship.
Students take their seats and a teacher in another room assigns them tasks.
“It combines our curriculum into a magical school ride kind of adventure for the students,” Brown explained.
The library is more than a place. It is large enough that it can be broken up into three classrooms.
From the gym to the cafeteria, everything is ready just waiting for the first bell to ring on Monday.
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