The Board of School Directors of the Abington School District announced that the groundbreaking for its more-than-$104 million Abington Senior High School additions and renovations project, including the Stephen A. Schwarzman Center for Science and Technology, will be held on Friday, Nov. 2, 2018, at 1:45 p.m.

The event will take place on the site of the future wing—along the Ghost Road entrance—for which alumnus Stephen A. Schwarzman generously donated $25 million in an effort to help inspire a new generation of future-ready learners.

With an anticipated opening in the fall of 2020, the new science and technology center includes science, art and general classroom space. Other additions throughout the school building involve the construction of an auxiliary gymnasium, career center and a new cafeteria. Ninety-three percent of the existing facility will also be renovated, with an estimated completion date of 2022.

“After years of planning and design, the Board of School Directors and I are very much looking forward to breaking ground on what will be the biggest project the District has embarked on in the 21^st century,” Board President Raymond McGarry, Esquire, said. “With Abington School District seeing an enrollment growth of more than 10 percent in the past decade—by approximately more than 100 students each year—it became evident that we needed to find a practical and economical solution for our community. We are pleased to be able to bring this project to fruition, which will benefit every student for generations to come.”

These planned reconfigured grade spans have helped pave the way for a reimagined curriculum, for which a Superintendent’s Committee has been formed in order to help shape new, innovative programming focused on the skills needed to compete in the evolving workforce and prepare students for the nation’s fastest-growing industries and jobs of the future. The Committee is comprised of administrators, teachers, students and community members to inform best practices for implementing these changes.