Maintaining the 11 schools and several other buildings serving 9,300 Parkland students requires large expenditures in addition to the costs of instructional materials.

At the April 17 meeting, the board approved mechanical upgrades at Springhouse Middle School and Fogelsville Elementary at a cost of $462,562.

Purchase of four modular classrooms was approved for a total price of $365,900. They will be used at Cetronia elementary school.

Director of School Services David Keppel reported two existing modular classrooms will be removed and replaced by the four new ones.

Concrete work at a cost of $94,320 was approved for Cetronia and Parkway Manor elementary schools.

Springhouse Middle School will receive partial roof replacement for $75,000.

Bids totaling $99,376 were awarded for copy paper and $55,866 for art supplies for the 2018-19 school term.

The board awarded a bid of $479,200 to Rohrer Bus Co. for the purchase of eight 2015, buses. Each is a 72-passenger vehicle.

The amount will be taken from the $1.2 million insurance paid to the district for buses as a result of the garage fire.

Keppel said Parkland will also advertise bids for eight new buses.

“To replace the 16 lost in the fire, we’ll use eight used and eight new ones,” Keppel said.

He explained the specifications considered in bus purchases.

These include type of brake system, seating capacity, length, fabric on the seats, material used for the steps, and whether or not the driver’s seat has arm rests.

“The eight used buses are in very good condition, so we decided to accept them,” Keppel said.

Superintendent Richard Sniscak noted the advantages of buying some used buses were so the district doesn’t have so many eventually needing replacement at the same time and so the district does not exceed the amount of the insurance payment.