Tag Archives: PA STEAM Academy

PA Steam Academy charter renewed, school approved for K-8 expansion

March 25, 2026 | by Alexandra Jones

PA Steam Academy

A Midtown-based charter school’s contract has been renewed for five more years.

The Harrisburg School Board voted 7-1 Tuesday to reenter a charter agreement with the PA Steam Academy, a K-6 charter school, located at N. 3rd and Reily streets.

Five years into operation, the charter school was in the last year of its current charter term.

PA Steam opened in 2021, offering K-2 classes, and has added subsequent grades each year. It now serves grades K-6 and boasts 440 students—about 70% of whom are Harrisburg residents.

PA Steam is approved to add 7th and 8th grades over the next two years and gradually increase its student capacity over the next five. It will work toward teaching 720 kids by the 2030-2031 school year.

Following a thorough review, Allison Petersen, a contracted education law attorney from Wisler Pearlstine, recommended the charter’s extension and continued expansion Tuesday night to the board ahead of the vote.

In a presentation, she said that PA Steam’s overall math and English language arts test scores exceeded the performance scores of Harrisburg School District students in the same grades over all its years of operation so far.

PA Steam is in compliance with lottery and attendance policies, Petersen added, but struggles, like many schools, with attendance and truancy.

The school also has room for improvement on publishing its board meeting information publicly in compliance with the Sunshine Act, the attorney added.

Per the terms of the charter renewal, PA Steam will only expand to be a K-8 school.

“They’ve indicated they are not interested in having a high school, and the charter that was negotiated specifically says ‘no high school grades,’” Petersen said.

The new charter runs from July 2026 through June 2031.

Board member Brian Carter voted ‘no’ to the charter renewal. He did not note a reason.

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Burg Bits: News bites from around Harrisburg

October 7, 2022 | by Lawrance Binda

Bikes stand ready for riders at the Broad Street Market

Once upon a time, we featured a column called “Burg Bits,” which were nuggets of information that we unearthed from our wanderings about town. We thought it might be time to resurrect that feature, at least on an occasional basis.

Bike Share Back
A few months ago, we broke the story that Harrisburg again would have a bike share, now called the SusqueCycle Regional Bikeshare program. The first bikes were just deployed, with a soft launch over this weekend and a press conference slated for Monday. The city has been without a bike share since the previously provider, Zagster, went out of business after the pandemic hit in 2020. The new program, organized by the Tri-County Regional Planning Commission, is launching with six locations in Harrisburg, with suburban locations expected to be announced later.

New Market Manager
For months, the Broad Street Market board has been searching for a new executive director, as this top post has been vacant since early 2022. We’ve now been told that a new manager has been hired and will begin next week. Look for more details as the appointment is officially announced. Meanwhile, the former market executive director, Josh Heilman, hasn’t traveled far, just across 3^rd Street. He’s joined the team at Radish & Rye, a grocery that itself started within the confines of the market.

Welcome the Moose
Last week, we broke the story that the Midtown Tavern would close following a sale of the popular 2^nd Street eatery to Adam Sturges, the owner of both the Sturges Speakeasy and McGrath’s Irish Pub. At the time, Adam confirmed to us that he had bought the burger/wings/beer joint and would reopen with a few (but not too many) changes, pending the transfer of the liquor license and some building updates. At the time, though, he declined to reveal the name of his latest acquisition. The liquor license placard, however, reveals the new name to be The Mad Moose, a moniker confirmed by a recent Pennlive story.

Apartments for Capital Joe?
“Micro-apartments” may be in store for the former location of Capital Joe coffeehouse on the 400-block of Forster Street. A company called Zomelle Properties is requesting zoning relief to carve eight small apartments out of the 3,728-square-foot double building, situated just across the street from the Capitol complex. The project may face an uphill battle, as the city’s Planning Bureau has recommended denial of the variance, which is needed because unit sizes do not conform to the city’s zoning regulations. According to Zomelle’s website, the company specializes in short-term, furnished rental units, as well as shared apartments.

Land of Learning
We’re a little late on this one, but, back in August, the Pennsylvania STEAM Academy Charter School purchased the storied Evangelical Press Building for $8 million from GreenWorks Development. The PA STEAM Academy has occupied the former HACC Midtown 2 building since the charter school opened last year, with plans to expand grades and student enrollment eventually to occupy the entire century-old, 80,000-square-foot building. We reported the sale in this month’s magazine, but felt it needed a bit more ink (or pixels). Speaking of schools and land, the Catherine Hershey School for Early Learning also made a big purchase in August, buying a large chunk of property for its future school for $3 million from the Buonarroti Trust. They plan to build a day care and early learning center at N. 6th and Muench streets.

Web Apologies
Lastly, we’d like to express our apologies to our online readers who may have had trouble accessing our website late last week and early this week. A server crash disabled, and then limited, our online presence for a few days. However, repairs and upgrades have been made, so we’re confident in our ability to keeping serving you the news on a daily basis. Thanks for your understanding!

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Nursing-focused charter school sets sights on healthcare education for Harrisburg, county students

May 10, 2021 | by Maddie Conley Gittens

Screenshot from the virtual public hearing on Monday

A new charter school is seeking to come to Harrisburg, with a focus on preparing Dauphin County students for the healthcare field.

The Pennsylvania Nurses Middle College Charter School came before the Harrisburg School District on Monday for a virtual public hearing on its application to create a charter high school in Midtown.

According to CEO Betsy Snook, the charter school seeks to create a pipeline for students in grades 9 through 12 to enter the nursing field. She said that they also hope to address the racial disparity in the field by attracting and training minority students.

“The vision for our school is to create this unique, inspired and supportive secondary public school experience where students will attain a quality high school-to-professional nursing/healthcare education,” Snook said.

The school was founded by the Pennsylvania State Nurses Association, which Snook also oversees, and the Nursing Foundation of Pennsylvania.

The idea came out of a 2010 “Future of Nursing” report conducted by the Institute of Medicine, which found that only about half of registered nurses have a baccalaureate degree, Snook said. The report set a goal of increasing that number to 80%. It also found that about 90% of registered nurses are white females, and it set goals to diversify the profession.

“None of this got better as the result of the current pandemic,” Snook said. “As a matter of fact, in one study, 60% of nurses said they’re planning to leave their profession as a direct result of the impacts caused by COVID-19.”

Snook said that she hopes the charter school will create a solution to these problems by encouraging students to pursue baccalaureate degrees in nursing.

If approved, the charter school would open for the 2022-23 academic year to all Dauphin County students, who would be chosen by a lottery system. Snook said that the school would seek to enroll 120 9th-grade students for the first year and add additional grades each year.

Classes would be STEM-focused with hands-on curriculum, practicums and summer employment opportunities in local healthcare settings, she explained. The school also would offer first-aid, CPR and Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA) in partnership with HACC.

The school would be located in GreenWorks Development’s Midtown II building, alongside the PA STEAM Academy. The PA STEAM school recently received approval to open by the state Charter Appeal Board after a lengthy back-and-forth with the Harrisburg School District, which opposed the charter school.

GreenWorks Development CEO Doug Neidich said that the 130,000-square-foot building would have space for both schools, which would have separate, secure entrances and classroom space.

Snook said that she anticipates leaving her position as the CEO of the nurses association to focus on her role as CEO of the charter school. At the hearing on Monday, she said that she has no teaching certification or experience leading a school.

She said that she hopes the Harrisburg School District will work with the charter in the interest of students. The district’s school board must approve the new charter before the school can open.

“If we are all going to say that we want to do something innovative and new to ensure that our students succeed, then it becomes incumbent upon us to talk about the barriers we’ve had in the past and eliminate those if possible,” Snook said.

Charter school board members include Latino Hispanic American Center Director Gloria Merrick, former state government employee Peter Speaks and retired Harrisburg School District Human Resources Director Lance Freeman, among others.

The school has received support from the Dauphin County commissioners, the Foundation for Enhancing Communities, HACC, Harrisburg University, UPMC and other organizations.

While this was a school district hearing, district officials did not comment during the meeting. They also could not be reached immediately for separate comment.

The public hearing on the charter school did not conclude on Monday. It will continue on a date that has yet to be determined.

For more information on the Pennsylvania Nurses Middle College Charter School, visit their website.

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May News Digest

April 30, 2021 | by Lawrance Binda and Maddie Conley Gittens

Affordable Housing Plan Approved

Harrisburg City Council approved several new affordable housing measures last month, in addition to a major apartment and parking project.

At a virtual legislative session, council passed a package of bills aimed at incentivizing affordable housing development and approved a large project that includes residential and commercial space, as well as a new parking garage.

The new affordable housing program establishes incentives for developers, including tax abatement, zoning relief and an easier street vacation application process.

In order to receive the benefits, developers must provide at least 20% of their units as affordable housing for low-income families, as defined by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. The rent for any of these affordable units must not exceed 30% of a household’s monthly income.

“The goal is to really bridge the gap between our residents and the developers,” council member Danielle Bowers said. “If we set this threshold too high, it’s not realistic for our developers to meet. If we set it too low, it’s not really affordable for our residents.”

Bowers said that Harrisburg’s 20% threshold is higher than many surrounding municipalities.

Developers can also receive parking requirement relief if 25% of the building’s units are rented at an affordable rate.

If developers receive a certificate of qualification and then do not continue to provide affordable housing, they could have their certificate revoked and may be fined up to $1,000, according to the new ordinance.

At the meeting, council also approved the land development plan for an 85-unit apartment building, including a 500-space parking garage, grocery store, office and retail space. The building will be constructed on a one-acre property surrounded by Boyd, N. 5th, Reily and Fulton streets.

Developer Kevin Baird said that his company plans to break ground in July or August and have the parking garage portion of the project almost completed by late summer of 2022, in time for the opening of the new federal courthouse nearby.

Charter School Wins Appeal

The Pennsylvania STEAM Academy has received approval from the state Charter School Appeal Board to open.

The Harrisburg school board denied the school’s initial application in 2019, but the state appeal board reversed that decision.

“It feels wonderful,” said Carolyn Dumaresq, chair of the academy’s board. “We are very excited to open.”

The charter school will be located at 1500 N. 3rd St. in the Midtown II Academic Building, formerly the Evangelical Press Building and later part of the HACC Harrisburg campus. Dumaresq said that the school’s focus is providing education around the topics of science, technology, engineering, arts and math.

The school will begin by serving kindergarten through second-grade Harrisburg students, Dumaresq said. Each grade will have two classrooms with 20 students. The following school year, the school will add two third-grade classrooms, expanding to add another grade each year until there are classrooms for up to eighth-grade students.

Dumaresq believes that the charter academy will prepare students for high schools in Harrisburg, such as Harrisburg High School’s SciTech Campus.

“All of the things we need are in place. It’s just getting everything formalized,” she said. “Now the big thing is going out and recruiting students.”

The Pennsylvania STEAM Academy plans to open fully in-person while taking the recommended COVID-19 safety measures.

Since November 2018, school officials have worked to move the school towards operating. However, they faced opposition along the way.

After the Harrisburg school district denied the STEAM Academy’s application, the charter school appealed the decision, collecting 1,844 signatures from supportive community members, well beyond the required 1,000. The school district, though, submitted an appeal to challenge those signatures.

In late March, the state Department of Education’s Charter School Appeal Board rejected the district’s appeal, allowing the Pennsylvania STEAM Academy to open.

Artsfest Moves to City Island

A sense of normalcy returns to the city late this month, as Harrisburg brings back the annual Artsfest celebration as a live event.

The annual artisan market and food truck festival will return for a hybrid in-person and virtual experience on May 29 through 31.

“While the traditional festival will be different this year, we look forward to welcoming back the talented artisans in a safe and modified way,” said Mayor Eric Papenfuse.

The festival, typically held at Riverfront Park, will move to City Island to facilitate social distancing. As in past years, it will feature vendors and their handcrafted works, along with local food trucks.

Last year, Artsfest went completely virtual due to the COVID-19 pandemic. For 2021, the city plans to keep aspects of the virtual event, including an online artisan market and virtual presentations. However, some of the traditional, in-person shopping experience will return.

Attendees can browse items for sale in 16 different categories, including ceramics, digital, drawing, fiber, furniture, glass, jewelry, leather, metal, mixed media, painting, photography, printmaking, sculpture and wood.

The event has historically hosted over 200 artists, but city officials said that the number of vendors will be reduced somewhat.

The HBG Flea, an organization that hosts pop-up markets in the city, will return as a partner in the event.

“We’re so excited that Artsfest is coming back,” said Mary Imgrund, HBG Flea co-founder.

Jazzfest, which usually goes hand-in-hand with Artsfest, is cancelled this year, and the Filmfest portion will show movies virtually. For families, the city will offer free take-home educational and artistic kits, replacing the usual KidsFest.

According to the city, health precautions will be in place during the festival, including one-direction pedestrian traffic, capacity monitoring, hand-washing stations, vendors spaced 10 feet apart and social distancing markers. Masks also will be required.

The city plans to return Artsfest to Riverfront Park in 2022.

Street Dining Returns

For a second straight year, Harrisburg will close several streets to traffic so that patrons can enjoy dining al fresco on Saturday nights.

“Saturday Nights in the City” re-launches on May 1 and is slated to run each Saturday throughout the summer, from 5 p.m. to 10 p.m.

“We are pleased to bring back this summer initiative,” said Mayor Eric Papenfuse. “I encourage residents to come support their favorite restaurants.”

The initiative, shared by the city and the Harrisburg Downtown Improvement District (HDID), began last year in response to the state-mandated shutdown of indoor dining.

Most restaurants have now reopened, with the commonwealth permitting 75% maximum capacity for indoor dining, as well as bar service. However, the city and the HDID deemed the program to be a success, so decided to bring it back with the return of warmer weather.

The list of participating restaurants includes Stock’s on 2nd, Carley’s Ristorante and Piano Bar, Ad Lib Craft Kitchen and Bar, Bourbon Street Saloon, Zembie’s, Arooga’s, Taste Key West, Cork & Fork, Federal Taphouse, Rubicon, Mangia Qui, Los Tres Cubanos, JB Lovedraft’s, McGrath’s Pub, The Brick Haus and Café Fresco.

For the weekly event, a number of streets will close. These include:

2nd Street, from Market to Pine streets
State Street, from Church to N. 2nd streets, westbound
North Street, from Susquehanna to 3rd streets
Conoy Street

Street closures will begin at 3:30 p.m. and run until 10 p.m., the city said.

Summer School Program

Harrisburg school officials last month announced summer school opportunities for students to stay sharp and catch up if needed.

The district will provide programs for kindergarten through 11th-grade students. There may be options for both in-person and virtual participation, according to the district.

This comes after many students spent almost the entire school year learning virtually, in addition to much of last year.

Kindergarten through eighth-grade students can enroll in a six-week course that will likely run Monday through Thursday, from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. Throughout the half-day, teachers will provide language, writing, math and STEAM classes. The program will run from mid-June through the end of July.

Students in grades nine through 11 have the chance to participate in a three-week program, Monday through Thursday. There will be two sessions each day, one from 8 to 11 a.m. and another from 12 to 3 p.m. This will provide enrichment opportunities, as well as credit recovery for those who failed courses during the school year.

Home Sales, Prices Jump

Spring residential sales started out strong in the Harrisburg area, with both home sales and prices up in March.

Overall, sales totaled 612 houses, compared to 568 units in March 2020, while the median price increased to $205,000 versus $180,000 a year ago, according to the Greater Harrisburg Association of Realtors (GHAR).

In Dauphin County, 286 homes sold compared to 270 in the year-ago period, as the median sales price rose to $175,000 versus $167,000, GHAR said.

Cumberland County had total sales of 282 homes, a substantial rise from 238 a year ago, as the median sales price went up to $230,163 compared to $205,000 in March 2020.

In Perry County, sales rose to 41 homes, an increase of 10 units, as the median sales price appreciated to $193,000 versus $171,500 the prior March, GHAR stated.

Houses were also selling more quickly, as the average days on market fell to 31 days compared to 50 days in March 2020, according to GHAR.

So Noted

Boneshire Brew Works opened a taproom last month in downtown Harrisburg, dubbed Taps@SoMa. Boneshire, based in Swatara Township, offers its beer on tap and to-go from the snug storefront at 13 S. 3rd St., formerly occupied by the rotating guest brewery concept, Sip@SoMa.

DTLR last month returned to its downtown Harrisburg storefront following a complete renovation of its space at 333 Market St. In January, the national fashion and sports apparel retailer temporarily moved down the street so that building owner Harristown Enterprises could enlarge their store from 4,000 to 7,000 square feet and update the décor.

Harrisburg last month extended its eviction moratorium for another month, until mid-May. This may be the last extension of the ban, as Mayor Eric Papenfuse said that he expected the city soon to begin to wind down the “extraordinary measures” implemented due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Harrisburg parks will have help transitioning to organic grounds maintenance thanks to a $25,000 donation last month from the GIANT Company, Stonyfield Organic and Non-Toxic Neighborhoods. The city also will receive support and guidance on park maintenance using organic and safe resources.

Matthew M. Haar last month was named managing partner of the Harrisburg office of Saul Ewing Arnstein & Lehr, a leading national law firm. In addition to this position, Haar is a member of Leadership Harrisburg and an adjunct professor at Penn State’s Dickinson School of Law.

Midtown Art Supplies has opened in Harrisburg, occupying a section of L&L Beauty Supply at 310 Reily St. Owner Darius Davis offers watercolors, acrylics, oil paints, stencils, pencils, brushes, canvases, drawing pads and resin, among other items.

New Cumberland Farmers Market opens for the season on May 1. The market, at 4th and Bridge streets in the parking lot of Kelly Financial Services, operates every Saturday through Oct. 30, 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Nancy Ryan, a long-time radio personality and former co-host of the “Nancy and Newman” morning show, has launched a new business, Ryan-Rodgers Media, focused on connecting music fans with brands, businesses and community partners, including event promotion, product endorsements, commercials and social media projects. For more information, visit www.gnazzopromotions.com/nancy-ryan.

Open Stage last month announced a return to in-person performances, one of several local entertainment venues to re-open their doors. “Over the Rainbow: The Songs of Judy Garland” runs May 28 to June 25, the first production in its new summer series.

PA Department of Agriculture will hold an outdoor Spring Food Fest at the PA Farm Show Complex, May 7 to 9, 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. The festival includes farm show favorites, such as milkshakes, fried mushrooms and pulled pork, as well as a selection of PA Preferred providers. Food is grab-and-go, and pandemic restrictions will be enforced.

Urban Churn plans to expand to the west shore and reopen its Harrisburg scoop shop by late spring. Owner Adam Brackbill said he will open a retail and production location for his craft creamery in the Silver Creek Plaza outside Mechanicsburg. He also plans to renovate and reopen his Midtown shop on the 1100-block of N. 3rd Street.

Changing Hands

Allison St., 1507: Integrity First Home Buyers LLC to 23 Hickory LLC, $129,900

Argyle St., 2: Gary Neff Inc. & City Limits Realty to HBK Properties 1 LLC, $39,000

Barkley Lane, 2524: C. Tucker to D. Martinez, $77,000

Boas St., 1823: Stoute Housing Inc. to Neidlinger Enterprises LLC, $55,000

Catherine St., 1610: Rich Steele Realty LLC to D. Boyle, $33,000

Crescent St., 450: DRW Properties LLC to Sanhos LLC, $35,000

Derry St., 1148: K. Dieppa to F. Sanchez, $37,500

Derry St., 1511: B. Gonzalez to RBAK Investments LLC, $55,000

Elm St., 1724: Dauphin County Property Investors LLC to S. Pichardo, $40,000

Geary St., 634: Rich Steele Realty LLC to D. Boyle, $33,000

Green St., 1207: J. Garisto to CE Heininger Properties LLC, $108,000

Green St., 1421: J. Davis to G. Lichtenstein, $137,500

Green St., 1909: J. Price to K. Kellum & D. Shearer, $246,000

Green St., 1912: B. Ostella & A. Fortino to Z. Fleming, $220,000

Hamilton St., 203: J. Schiller to SJL Rentals LLC, $150,000

Hamilton St., 324: D. Hinton to J. Henretta, $129,900

Hillside Rd., 217: J. Markel to J. Arp & C. Palmer, $240,000

Hoerner St., 107: A. Otwell to R. Lane, $53,000

Holly St., 1904: KA&B Investments LLC to G. Bierbaum & W. Alford, $76,000

Holly St., 1912: Crist Holdings LLC to Super Fun Real Estate Yes LLC, $60,000

Hummel St., 208: M. Baltozer to Brethren Housing Association Inc., $52,500

Hummel St., 239: K. Dieppa to Archierp LLC, $33,000

Hunter St., 1523: K. Dieppa to J. Vega & C. Salazar, $35,600

Jefferson St., 2714: Johnleo Home Renovations LLC to G. Linebaugh, $124,900

Kensington St., 2329: R. Dressler & E. Knuth to C. Grant & M. Rinaldi, $55,500

Lewis St., 325: D. Castano & N. Rosado to R. Gehrke, $125,000

Lexington St., 2721: Gilligan Realty LLC to HBK Properties 1 LLC, $60,000

Liberty St., 1415 & 1417: Blue Door Management LLC to G. Guzman, $75,000

Logan St., 2157: Integrity First Home Buyers LLC to Donald Klick Trust & Natalie Klick Trust, $115,500

Logan St., 2248: M. Loo to A. Sullivan & D. Adams, $75,000

Maclay St., 610: Goldstein Couriers LLC to A. Maust, $55,000

Manada St., 1915: PA Property Brothers LLC to SPG Capital LLC, $50,000

Manada St., 1917: PA Property Brothers LLC to SPG Capital LLC, $55,000

Market St., 1808: NationStar Mortgage LLC to W. Chavez & K. Flores, $75,000

Meadowlark Pl., 194: J. McCliment to S. Kuhn, $120,000

Mercer St., 2454: R. Sweigert to H. Kaur, $64,900

Muench St., 236: J. O’Hara to A. McNulty & M. Kuhns, $226,500

North St., 261: B. Hanson, M. Gregorits & D. Thomas to M. Henao, $124,000

North St., 1614, 2319 N. 4th St. & 2402 N. 5th St.: I. Druker to Clean Up LLC, $200,000

North St., 1711: Mussani & Co. to SPG Capital LLC, $58,000

North St., 1841: G. & K. Mannix to SPG Capital LLC, $40,000

N. 2nd St., 705: A. & L. Kanagy to N&R Group, $200,000

N. 2nd St., 1003: M. Sellers to K. Harlacher, $175,280

N. 2nd St., 2003; 1837 N. 2nd St.; 224 Kelker St.: M. Goldberg to WCI Partners LP, $550,000

N. 2nd St., 2005: Tang Liu Realty LLC to WCI Partners LP, $172,500

N. 2nd St., 3127: Honest Home Solutions LLC to Tillotson Properties LLC, $76,000

N. 3rd St., 1107: M. Horton & R. Spahr to E. Miano & N. Byler, $169,000

N. 3rd St., 1507: Mussani & Matz Co. to Third Street Realty Co., $180,000

N. 3rd St., 1810: Crowder & Co. to A. Manning, $120,000

N. 3rd St., 2252: T. Magilton to W. Smith, $146,000

N. 3rd St., 3121: J. Lilly to S. & J. Chohany, $129,000

N. 4th St., 1909: J. Kesler to Z. Fair, $97,000

N. 4th St., 2133: A. Fleming to NA Capital Group LLC, $37,500

N. 4th St., 2225: 2225 4th LLC to A. Matai, $82,000

N. 4th St., 2249: HSBC Bank USA NA & PHH Mortgage Corp. to M. & F. Cruz, $41,500

N. 4th St., 2337: M. Farrell to P. Carcione & C. Aumiller, $51,000

N. 4th St., 2433: Dauphin County Property Investors LLC & Hunter Property Services LLC to A. Abdulrahman, $40,000

N. 4th St., 2647: Master Ventures LLC to SPG Capital LLC, $58,000

N. 5th St., 2516: E. Morris to L. Hodge, $102,000

N. 5th St., 2615: M. Carlson to A. Chaplin & WeWelcome LLC, $42,500

N. 6th St., 1412: E. & L. Smeal to N. Smeal & R. Strella, $101,750

N. 6th St., 2239: V. Kegerries to Jo Light Construction LLC, $66,000

N. 6th St., 2426: Eden Bridge Foundation to R. Daniels, $84,000

N. 6th St., 2712: Integrity First Home Buyers LLC to O. Fu, $150,000

N. 13th, 141: M. Terrell to Integrity First Home Buyers LLC, $61,250

N. 15th St., 1201: Tassia Corporation to K. Braddock, $36,000

N. 17th St., 88; 1150 Mulberry St.; 2519 N. 6th St.; 612 Oxford St.; 613 Oxford St.; 614 Oxford St.; 616 Oxford St.; 617 Oxford St.; 619 Oxford St.; 2308 Jefferson St.; 448 Hamilton St.; and 2332 N. 6th St.: SMKP Properties LLC to JMR Ventures LLC, $600,000

N. 17th St., 113: D. Newsome to T. & O. Solamola, $65,000

N. 18th St., 73: E. Morris & C. Perez to R. Newberry, $56,000

N. 20th St., 30: D. Selvey to C. & I. Castro, $75,000

N. Front St., 1525, Unit 313: M. Hadginske, M. Pasick, A. Steel & Pact Enterprises to BXF Real Estate LLC, $108,000

N. Front St., 1525, Unit 406: J. Davis to S. Lepadatu, $114,000

N. Front St., 1525, Unit 414: K. Hess to B. King, $115,000

Park St., 1624: KTT Properties LLC to New Dawn Holdings & Investments LLC, $68,000

Peffer St., 270: Wheatland Restore LLC to K. Manna & M. Eaton, $234,900

Penn St., 1617: B. Black to T. Cox, $163,000

Penn St., 1727: J. McCummings to J. Towzey & H. Salera, $160,000

Penn St., 1807: S. Mitchell to Wheatland Restore LLC, $100,000

Penn St., 2127: City Vision Revitalization LLC to K&M Housing LLC, $45,000

Penn St., 2226: C. Stefanski to A. Matailo, $50,900

Penn St., 2229: C. & S. Williams to S. & J. Easterling, $138,900

Pennwood Rd., 3116: M. Brown to A. Hollinger & E. Shellhamer, $115,000

Radnor St., 516: H. & N. Johnson to SPG Capital LLC, $42,000

Reel St., 2447: Integrity First Home Buyers LLC to K. McGrath, $122,500

Reel St., 2634: R. & A. Laracuente to S. Bosco, $64,000

Reel St., 2743: R. & A. Laracuente to H. McKay, $55,500

Royal Ter., 149: N. & F. Zook to N. Alegre Maurer, $38,000

Rudy Rd., 1813: A. Acevedo to B. Perez, $30,000

Rudy Rd., 2133: J. & K. Kio to C. Weaver & A. Shughart, $160,100

Rumson Dr., 2948: N. Washington to F. Ramos & L. Suarez, $111,000

Seneca St., 521: T. Robinson to E. Spencer, $86,900

S. 13th St., 355: T. Marsico to Y. Lopez, $50,000

S. 14th St., 47: Capital Region Economic Development Corp. to Hamilton Health Center Community Services Inc., $115,000

S. 16th St., 336: L. Wilson to E. Rodriguez, $115,000

S. 17th St., 445: K. Foster to D. Nguyen, $40,000

S. 17th St., 532: D. Hargrove & D. Surbrena to J. Acosta, $44,500

S. 18th St., 1031: D. & M. Hillard to B. & T. Bender, $92,500

S. 20th St., 226: J. Medina to I. Carvajal, $88,000

S. 20th St., 1200: Peral Limited Partnership to G&H Holdings LLC, $40,000

S. 23rd St., 643: T. Fisher to V. Paulino, $32,500

S. 24th St., 605: R. Patel to Biyaki Enterprises LLC, $58,000

S. 26th St., 611: C. & L. Trinh to C. Baumann, $129,000

S. River St., 304: V. Murzin to N. Leri, $165,000

State St., 231, Unit 502: LUX 1 LP to X. Samuel, $135,000

State St., 1508: Harrisburg Homes Investment LLC to S. Moore, $100,000

State St., 1608: Dauphin County Property Investors LLC & Hunter Property Services to Pichardo Investments LLC, $60,000

State St., 1626: Amarica’s Choice Remodeling of HBG LLC to S. Moore, $120,000

Susquehanna St., 1624: J. Rogers to H. Blumenfeld, $135,000

Susquehanna St., 2010: M. Paese, A. Fetcko, T. Leo & B. Myers to SPG Capital LLC, $55,000

Swatara St., 2139: S. & K. Adley to T. & P. Feliz, $48,000

Verbeke St., 1729: M. Gillespie to R. Oladipo, $86,000

Vernon St., 1350: M. Soler to R. Schwartz, $30,000

Wiconisco St., 531: Kaylynn Investment LLC to SPG Capital LLC, $50,000

Harrisburg property sales for March 2021, greater than $30,000. Source: Dauphin County. Data is assumed to be accurate.

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Proposed PA STEAM Academy faces more delay, as Harrisburg school receiver appeals court decision

August 20, 2019 | by Lawrance Binda

Midtown 2, where PA STEAM Academy would like to locate

For months, the proposed PA STEAM Academy has been waiting for a date to take its case before the state’s Charter School Appeal Board.

It appears the proposed charter school’s supporters now will need to wait even longer.

At Monday night’s school board meeting, Harrisburg school district Receiver Dr. Janet Samuels approved a resolution starting the district’s own appeal, specifically an appeal of a lower court’s approval of signatures supporting the proposed school.

On Aug. 2, Dauphin County Judge John McNally issued an order stating that PA STEAM had collected enough valid signatures so that the proposed school could now move forward with mounting an appeal to the state Charter School Appeal Board.

“The required number of signatures (1,000) were properly obtained and presented to the Court . . . ,” McNally wrote in his decision.

Samuels now is appealing that decision to the Commonwealth Court. Asked about the issue on Monday night, Samuels declined comment.

However, during the meeting, she said that the Harrisburg district stood ready to compete with charter schools, and she even encouraged district parents with children in brick-and-mortar and cyber charter schools to consider returning to the Harrisburg school system.

“I want to be very clear about, here in the Harrisburg school district, we are ready in a very bold and courageous way [to compete] with all charter schools in this area,” Samuels said.

Reached by phone on Tuesday morning, Dr. Carolyn Dumaresq, chair of the PA STEAM Academy’s board of directors, said that she was disappointed with Samuels’ action.

“It’s kind of a mystery to me that the receiver says she wants to compete with charter schools, but then doesn’t allow any to open,” said Dumaresq, who served as state secretary of education under former Gov. Tom Corbett.

In fact, PA STEAM had submitted petitions with 1,844 signatures, far exceeding the 1,000-signature threshold, making it unlikely that the district’s appeal will succeed, she said.

“To challenge the signatures—isn’t there a better use of taxpayer money?” she said.

Originally, PA STEAM Academy had hoped to open for the 2019-20 school year in the building now known as HACC Midtown 2, previously the Evangelical Press Building, at N. 3^rd and Reily streets.

However, in February, the Harrisburg school board unanimously denied their charter application. Charter school supporters then collected signatures as a first step in the appeals process. With the petitions approved by McNally, school founders believed that they were free to continue their appeal to the state Department of Education’s Charter School Appeal Board.

PA STEAM Academy now must mount another hurdle—defending their signatures before the Commonwealth Court.

“You would have to prove that these people (who signed the petitions) don’t live in the city, and they do,” Dumaresq said. “It seems like just more delay. It’s sad.”

Dumaresq said that PA STEAM now hopes to open in time for the 2020-21 school year. The founders envision starting with 120 students in a K-2 school, adding a grade level each year until it becomes a K-8 school.

“I think this appeal is such a misuse of taxpayer money,” she said. “But are what are you going to do?”

March News Digest

March 29, 2019 | by Lawrance Binda

Primary Field Set

This year’s municipal primary looks to be a hot one in Harrisburg, as Democratic voters face a crowded field for both City Council and school board.

Last month was the deadline for handing in nomination petitions, and numerous candidates filed, according to the Dauphin County Bureau of Elections & Voter Registration.

For council, three, four-year seats are up for grabs.

Three sitting council members have turned in nomination petitions: Danielle Bowers, Dave Madsen and Westburn Majors. This is the first contested race for Bowers, who was appointed last year to fill an open seat following the departure of former Councilman Cornelius Johnson.

The Democratic incumbents will face three challengers in the primary: Christina Kostelecky of Midtown, Brianna Smith of Midtown and Dionna Reeves of North Allison Hill.

No Republican candidates filed to run for council.

In the very crowded primary race for Harrisburg school board, 12 Democratic candidates will vie for five, four-year seats. These include current school board directors Lionel Gonzalez, Lola Lawson, Ellis R. Roy and Patricia Whitehead-Myers, and eight challengers: Jayne Buchwach, Lewis Butts Jr., Ralph Rodriguez, James Thompson, Doug Thompson Leader, Gerald Welch, Cory X. Williams and Steven Williams.

No one filed to run in the Republican primary.

In the only other city race, incumbent Treasurer Dan Miller is seeking re-election for a four-year term. He is unchallenged in the Democratic primary, and no candidate filed to run in the Republican primary.

On the county level, incumbent commissioners Jeff Haste and Mike Pries are running for re-election unopposed in the Republican primary. On the Democratic side, incumbent George Hartwick and challengers Diane Bowman and Tom Connolly are vying for the two Democratic slots.

For other county offices, none of the Republican incumbents have competition in the primary: District Attorney Fran Chardo, Sheriff Nick Chimienti, Clerk of Courts Dale Klein, Recorder of Deeds Jim Zugay, Treasurer Janis Creason, Controller Timothy DeFoor and Register of Wills/Clerk of Orphans’ Court Jean Marfizo King.

On the Democratic side, Cole Goodman has filed for Recorder of Deeds, Tim Butler is running for Treasurer, Brad Koplinski is running for Clerk of Courts and Bridget Whitley has filed for Register of Wills/Clerk of Orphans’ Court. All are unopposed in the primary.

This list is regarded as preliminary pending possible challenges to nomination petitions, which sometimes knocks candidates off of the ballot.

The primary election is on May 21. The winners will continue on to the general election, which is Nov. 5.

HU Tower Gets Planning Approval

The Harrisburg Planning Commission last month gave its blessing to a new downtown high-rise for Harrisburg University, a building design that knocks another two floors off of the project.

The land development plan, approved unanimously by the commission, envisions a 17-story building totaling 386,200 square feet of space at the corner of Chestnut and S. 3rd streets.

“I think this is a very good project,” said commission Chairman Joe Alsberry, before casting his vote in favor.

Last year, HU floated a concept for a building exceeding 30 floors, which would have made it the tallest building in the city. Last fall, the height was cut back to 19 floors and now has been approved at 17.

With Planning Commission approval, the land development plan now must be approved by City Council before HU can break ground.

The building consists of three parts: an academic portion that would house mainly health sciences programs, a separately owned hotel and a restaurant. The university envisions a two-year construction period.

In its vote, the city Planning Commission approved the consolidation of the four parcels that make up the building site: 222 Chestnut St. and 24, 26 and 28 S. 3rd St. Currently, 222 Chestnut St., the largest parcel, is a surface parking lot, while the 3rd Street parcels all house 19th-century commercial buildings, which would be demolished during the site-clearing process.

HU’s attorney and architects, who attended the meeting, were satisfied with the approval, with one exception.

As a condition for approval, the city’s Planning Bureau suggested that HU make changes to the building façade so that it would have a more “consistent” design, with less visible concrete.

HU attorney Diane Tokarsky of McNees Wallace & Nurick pushed back hard on the suggestion that design changes were needed.

“Beauty is in the eye of the beholder,” she said. “There would be a significant cost to the university to begin redesigning the façade of the building.”

City Solicitor Neil Grover clarified that the city can’t force the university to change its design.

In the end, HU representatives said they’d willingly continue the conversation with the city, but within limits.

“We would be happy to have further dialogue,” Tokarsky said. “But we need finality. We’re not redesigning this building.”

Lead Paint Abatement Continues

Harrisburg is known for its historic homes, which often have such touches as wide moldings, pocket doors and ceiling medallions.

Sometimes, those houses have something else much less desirable—lead-based paint.

Therefore, the city government wants residents to know that it is seeking applicants for its 2019 lead paint remediation program, an effort aimed at lower- and moderate-income owners and renters.

“It’s not just homeowners,” said Franchon Beeks, program manager and interim director of the city’s Department of Building and Housing Development. “We need more tenants and landlords to be aware of the program.”

The program is open to city residents who meet certain conditions, including income requirements (50 to 80 percent of median family income) and having children in the household younger than 6 years old, since eating chipped, lead-based paint can result in learning disabilities and behavioral problems. In addition, the housing unit must have been built before 1978.

Beeks spoke last month during a Harrisburg City Council work session, offering council members a recent history of the program and a look at plans for 2019.

She told council that a federal Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) “Lead Hazardous Reduction Demonstration” grant for $3.7 million had expired on Dec. 31. However, the city has received notice that the Pennsylvania Department of Health had approved a one-year, $986,245 grant, allowing the lead paint control and remediation program to continue through 2019.

Petition Drive for Charter School

A group denied permission to open a new public charter school has begun a petition drive to overturn the decision of the Harrisburg school board.

The board of the proposed PA STEAM Academy needs to gather valid signatures from 1,000 city residents, 18 years and older, to force the matter to the Dauphin County Court of Common Pleas.

“The bottom line is—what’s in the best interest of the kids?” said Susan Kegerise, a former Susquehanna Township school district superintendent and now a member of the proposed charter school’s board. “We’re going to keep going because it’s in the best interest of the kids.”

PA STEAM Academy has until mid-April—60 days following the city school board’s unanimous denial of its charter application on Feb. 19—to gather the signatures for its appeal. If the court validates the petitions and issues a decree, the matter goes to the state Department of Education’s seven-member Charter School Appeal Board, which will make a final decision to affirm or overturn the school board’s decision.

To coordinate the petition drive, PA STEAM supporters have been gathering signatures during city festivals, on 3rd in the Burg nights, in Strawberry Square and at the Broad Street Market, among other places.

In the meantime, PA STEAM is still moving forward with a planned opening for the fall semester, said Carolyn Dumaresq, president of the charter school board and a former state secretary of education.

To do so, board members will need to hire a principal, six teachers and support staff, in addition to accepting the first round of students.

PA STEAM plans to open with 120 students, grades K-2, in Midtown 2 at N. 3rd and Reily streets in Harrisburg. The 115,000-square-foot building is currently occupied by HACC, but the college’s lease expires in 2022, and it is slated to begin moving programs out of the building later this year.

PA STEAM plans to expand on an annual basis, adding a grade level each year until it becomes a K-8 school. It also expects to grow horizontally, so that each grade level eventually would have 80 students.

Gaming Grants Announced

The Dauphin County commissioners last month allotted $6.4 million to some 60 projects in its annual disbursal of gaming funds.

Locally, Harrisburg city will receive $203,000 to upgrade its phone system and create an off-site backup storage facility for data such as crime, property, tax and codes information.

Elsewhere in Harrisburg, Hamilton Health Center will receive $115,000 to remove contaminated soil in an adjacent lot to prepare for a planned facility expansion.

“We’ve run out of exam room space, and we want to expand our medical and behavioral health services,” said Jeannine Peterson, Hamilton’s CEO.

Funding for the projects comes from the county’s share of gaming revenue generated from Hollywood Casino at Penn National in East Hanover Township.

The Dauphin County Gaming Advisory Board reviews project requests before sending its recommendations to the commissioners for approval. While 62 projects were funded, another 37 were denied funding.

Other notable projects in the immediate Harrisburg area that were funded include:

D&H Distributing for a new and expanded training center: $160,000
Tri-County HDC to help fund a $1.4 million project to build 12 townhomes on Adams Street in Steelton: $125,000
Steelton Borough for Phase 2 of the Skate Park and for fire department gear and equipment: $94,394
Jewish Home of Greater Harrisburg for generator purchase: $70,000
The Salvation Army for security system installation: $53,000
Camp Curtin YMCA for an affordable housing construction project: $50,000
Dauphin County Library System for computer equipment: $50,000
Penbrook Borough for sewer interceptor replacement: $50,000
Harrisburg Scottish Rite Masonic Theatre for auditorium upgrades: $47,780
Cameron Street Boxing Club for facility renovation and equipment: $35,000
Breaking the Chainz Inc. for a van: $29,411
Harrisburg University for HUE Festival security services: $25,000
Theatre Harrisburg for seating and platforms purchase: $25,000
Stephens Episcopal School for safety and security improvements: $8,230

Under state law, the county must use the grant funds for projects that help human services, improve local infrastructure, enhance transportation, address health and safety needs, assist with emergency services and further public interest initiatives.

So Noted

Charlotte Katzenmoyer was selected last month as the new chief executive officer of Capital Region Water, the Harrisburg area’s water and sewer authority. Katzenmoyer previously served as the long-time director of public works for Lancaster city.

Darla Hoover last month was named artistic director of the Central Pennsylvania Youth Ballet, following the death of CPYB founder and Artistic Director Marcia Dale Weary. Hoover previously served as associate artistic director.

Laura Hughes has been named executive director of the Central Pennsylvania Chapter of the American Red Cross. Before joining the Red Cross, Hughes held roles with Spooky Nook Sports and The American Heart Association.

Ron Hetrick last month was appointed WITF’s new president and CEO, replacing Kathleen Pavelko, who has retired. A Harrisburg native, Hetrick joined WITF in 2000 and has served as senior vice president of finance and administration since 2015.

Michael Boyd Menswear will open this month at 2205 Market St., Camp Hill. The men’s clothing retailer operated for many years on N. 3rd Street in downtown Harrisburg before relocating.

Stephen M. Massini will take over as chief executive officer for Penn State Health, it was announced last month. Massini, the current executive vice president, will assume the position upon the retirement of current CEO A. Craig Hillemeier, who plans to step down in the summer.

Tiki T’s Mini Donuts and More is expected to open this month in the ground floor space at the Bogg on Cranberry, a newly renovated apartment building at N. 2nd and Cranberry streets in Harrisburg. Owner Will Horn said that he will offer branded coffee, bagels and waffles, in addition to his signature bags and buckets of miniature doughnuts.

In Memoriam

Marcia Dale Weary, the founder and long-time leader of the Central Pennsylvania Youth Ballet, died last month at age 82. Born in Carlisle, she founded the Marcia Dale School of Dance in 1955, which later became the nonprofit Central Pennsylvania Youth Ballet, now an internationally recognized school of classical ballet. To honor her legacy, donations may be made to the school. Visit www.cpyb.org.

Changing Hands

Adrian St., 2474: M. Jones to H. Montoya & S. Flores, $60,000

Boas St., 1954: Family First Financial LLC to M. Brown, $51,500

Briggs St., 1927: Mosca Greene Associates to J. Fider, $55,000

Briggs St., 1931: Front Door Properties LLC to Equity Trust Co. Custodian Gary D. Brown IRA, $33,500

Crescent St., 249 & 306: C. Frater to PD Estate Properties LLC, $56,000

Cumberland St., 120: B. Kephart to Berlin Group LLC, $87,000

Green St., 916: Bricker Boys Partnership to J. Ehring, $95,000

Green St., 1701A: J. & V. Wills to M. Ton, $196,500

Green St., 1947: S. Roeder to J. Howett, $208,000

Greenwood St., 2111: CW Property Management LLC to J. Elias Holdings LLC, $30,000

Hudson St., 1219: B. Messick to R. & P. Michael, $106,000

Manada St., 1915 & 1917: W. & K. Nolt to PA Property Brothers LLC, $83,500

Market St., 2305: DND Enterprises to D. Jordan & A. Knee, $129,000

Muench St., 215: A. Barone to T. & S. Wisyanski, $130,000

Muench St., 216: WCI Partners LP to K. Boyce, $118,000

N. 2^nd St., 805: W. Grace to B. Mummau, $165,000

N. 2^nd St., 1715: G. Hitz to PA Deals LLC, $72,000

N. 2^nd St., 1815: Pharma Enterprises LLC to M. Tenba, $97,000

N. 2^nd St., 2143: R. Steele to A. Arnold Jr., $169,000

N. 2^nd St., 2534: M. Tuck to A. Massaro, $165,000

N. 2^nd St., 2827: J. Prosseda to J. Charles Realty LLC, $349,000

N. 3^rd St., 1820: B. & R. Gordon to MMLM Realty & Ian Smith Contracting, Inc., $69.000

N. 3^rd St., 1935 & 1932 Logan St.: D. Goodwin to K. & E. Hummel, $245,000

N. 3^rd St., 2214 & 2214A: C. Frater to PD Estate Properties LLC, $104,000

N. 4^th St., 3022: R. Birch to CNC Realty Group LLC, $123,750

N. 5^th St., 3132: Willowscott Investments LLC to R. & D. Corrigan, $137,900

N. 6^th St., 1000: A. Antoun to N&R Group LLC, $31,000

N. 12^th St., 56: LMK Properties LLC to B. & L. Young, $30,000

N. Front St., 1525, Unit 611: K. Uhlmann to G. & J. Hellmann, $190,000

Paxton St., 1125, 1150, 1200, 1201, 728 S. 13^th St., & 701 S. Cameron St.: Sutliff Enterprises Inc. to Last Enterprises LLC, $7,175,000

Penn St., 915: Penn St. LLC to J. Craig & F. Combs, $60,500

Penn St., 1626: D. Cinelli to H. & D. Brubaker, $139,900

Pennwood Rd., 3243: Consolidated Holdings International LLC to I Deal Cars Holdings LLC, $230,000

Race St., 560: G. & N. Glen to E. Stoltzfus, $108,000

Rolleston St., 1016: C. & R. Wilson to N. Barger, $51,500

Rumson Dr., 2987: G. Marshall to L. Payne, $70,000

Seneca St., 235: D. Ulloa to H. & B. Cook, $145,000

Showers St., 616: S. Clearfield to S. Rinato & M. Siegel, $125,000

S. 14^th St., 1443: Harrisburg Housing Authority to City of Harrisburg, $50,000

S. 17^th St., 315: N. Bhatti to 2566 Investment Group Inc., $42,000

S. Front St., 621: N. Rados to C. O’Donnell, $122,000

State St., 231, Unit 601: LUX 1 LP to R. Brooks, $184,900

Susquehanna St., 1408: W. Baker to Campus Square Partners, $290,000

Susquehanna St., 1418: W. & C. Baker to Campus Square Partners LP, $30,000

Susquehanna St., 1816: C. Harner to R9 Holdings LLC, $34,000

Susquehanna St., 2118: K. Scott to J. Elias Holdings LLC, $34,000

Swatara St., 2008: C. Woods to Y. Velazquez, $58,000

Harrisburg property sales for February 2019, greater than $30,000. Source: Dauphin County. Data is assumed to be accurate.

Proposed STEAM charter school launches petition drive to reverse school board denial

March 4, 2019 | by Lawrance Binda

The proposed PA STEAM Academy would move into this building, Midtown 2, in Harrisburg.

A group denied permission to open a new public charter school has begun a petition drive to overturn the decision of the Harrisburg school board.

The board of the proposed PA STEAM Academy needs to gather valid signatures from 1,000 city residents, 18 years and older, to force the matter to the Dauphin County Court of Common Pleas.

To coordinate the petition drive, PA STEAM has contracted with Maverick Strategies, a Harrisburg-based consultant and lobbying shop. Over the next six weeks, Maverick will lead the effort to gather signatures during city festivals, on 3rd in the Burg nights, in Strawberry Square and at the Broad Street Market, among other places, according to PA STEAM board members.

Canvassers will also go door-to-door to gather signatures, with the goal of substantially exceeding the 1,000-signature mark, they said.

In the meantime, PA STEAM is still moving forward with a planned opening for the fall semester, said Carolyn Dumaresq, president of the charter school board and a former state secretary of education.

To do so, board members will need to hire a principal, six teachers and support staff, in addition to accepting the first round of students.

Kegerise said that the PA STEAM Academy would feature small class sizes of 20 students, with a teacher and an aide per classroom, along with a strong creative component, community involvement, alignment among curriculum areas, skills integration and an emphasis on the use of technology. STEAM itself stands for science, technology, engineering, arts and math.

Doug Neidich, another board member, said that he believes it’s vital to offer educational options to young parents, many of whom leave the city when their children reach school age. He said that he envisions PA STEAM Academy as a possible feeder school for the city’s well-regarded SciTech High and for the arts-focused CASA charter school.

“We spent a ton of time getting this right, and we look forward to launching it,” said Neidich, CEO of GreenWorks Development, which owns the Midtown 2 building.

Dumaresq served for about 18 months as the state’s education secretary under former Gov. Tom Corbett. However, she said she doesn’t believe that her tenure necessarily will give the PA STEAM Academy an edge if the matter does go before the Charter School Appeal Board.

“It might seem like an advantage, but they’re very independent thinkers,” Dumaresq told TheBurg.

Elizabeth Hardison of the Pennsylvania Capital-Star reported today the Appeal Board remains populated with holdovers from the Corbett administration, as Gov. Tom Wolf has not made his own appointments.

For more information on the charter school appeals process, visit https://www.education.pa.gov/K-12/Charter%20Schools/Pages/Charter-Appeals.aspx.

For more information on the petition drive, contact Amanda Boris at [email protected].

Harrisburg school board rejects STEAM Academy charter school application

February 20, 2019 | by Mary Imgrund

The Midtown 2 building at N. 3rd and Reily streets in Harrisburg

The Harrisburg school board has overwhelmingly rejected an application for a new charter school.

By a vote of 7-0, the board on Tuesday night turned down the proposed PA STEAM Academy, which hoped to open this fall in the Midtown 2 (Evangelical Press) building at the corner of N. 3^rd and Reily streets.

“I think we need to make sure that people understand that it doesn’t matter who sits on the [proposed charter school] board,” said Harrisburg school board President Danielle Robinson. “It doesn’t matter who’s backing you. It doesn’t matter who’s behind you. We are not just going to hand over our children to you.”

That decision marked a sudden turn in the mood at the meeting, which was attended by dozens of teachers upset over the board’s recent rejection of a pay increase for veteran teachers. This time, they were on the board’s side.

Before the vote, numerous teachers and residents urged the board to vote “no” on the application.

“Why is this even on the agenda?” said Michele Rolko, vice president of the teacher’s union, the Harrisburg Education Association. “You should be voting this down.”

The audience cheered and chanted, “Vote it down.”

In November, a high-powered group, led by former state Secretary of Education Carolyn Dumaresq, proposed the PA STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Math) Academy. The charter school, with an initial enrollment of 120 students, hoped to open this fall for grades K-2, adding a grade of instruction each year and eventually becoming a K-8 school.

The school planned to take over more space at Midtown 2 as HACC left. HACC’s 15-year lease on the building expires in 2022, and the college plans to start moving programs out as early as this year.

In recent months, PA STEAM Academy board members have appeared before the school board three times to make their case. In December, they made their initial presentation and returned in January and February to answer questions.

The PA STEAM Academy now can appeal the decision to the Pennsylvania Charter School Appeal Board, a body that Dumaresq once headed as former education secretary. She has said previously that the school’s board of directors indeed would appeal if denied.

After voting 7-0 against the application, the Harrisburg school board voted 7-0 to approve the adjudication in support of the denial.

Harrisburg has a long history of denying charter school applications, with some board members saying that charter schools take students and funds away from the struggling public school system. In fact, that sentiment was echoed at the meeting.

“Don’t continue to drain money out of the district. [Charter schools] are like a placebo, they’re not going to work,” said one resident. “We need to fix the schools that are already here. Another charter school is not going to fix the current graduation rate.”

Robinson asserted that the board has stood firm against a proliferation of charter schools during her tenure.

“In my time here, we’ve had roughly nine charter school applications that have come through this board, and, as far as I know, only two have gone through,” she said.

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