Senator Schwank Secures Additional $1 Million for Antietam School District’s Stoney Creek Elementary School Project

February 25, 2025

Reading, PA — February 25, 2025 — Yesterday evening, Sen. Judy Schwank, D-Berks, attended an Antietam School District board meeting to announce an additional $1 million in state funding from the Pennsylvania Department of Education to support flood recovery efforts.

Since severe flooding hit Antietam Middle-Senior High School in July 2023, Schwank has worked diligently with the Shapiro administration and Pennsylvania Senate leadership to secure funding to help the district rebuild. The funding will go toward Stony Creek Elementary School, which will house K-3 students.

“It remains critically important to me that the Antietam School District has the support it needs to serve students now and well into the future,” Schwank said. “The district has made tremendous progress overcoming a difficult period and is working toward a permanent recovery. I will continue to do my part to support Antietam students and the people working tirelessly to ensure they receive the quality education they deserve.”

“It is no secret that the current undertaking of constructing a new building for our youngest Mounts at Stony Creek is a difficult one,” Antietam School District Superintendent Dr. Timothy Matlack said in a statement. “Without the robust business base that many other districts around the county enjoy, the homeowners of Mount Penn Borough and Lower Alsace Township shoulder a great deal in helping to provide an education for the 1,100 learners we serve. This is the primary driving factor behind so much of the work we have done to try to secure grant funds to offset the financial impact to our families and residents. Thanks to Senator Schwank’s advocacy efforts on our behalf, I am thrilled that an additional $1 million in grant funding will be added to the little more than $10 million that has been secured thus far.”

Antietam previously received $7.8 million in grant funding from the Pennsylvania Department of Education’s Public School Environmental Repairs Program and $2.5 million from the Pennsylvania Department of Community and Economic Development’s Public Schools Facility Improvement Grant Program. 

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Antietam School District, Mt. Penn Borough, Sen. Schwank and Rep. Rozzi Issue Joint Statement

February 19, 2024

Reading — February 19, 2024 — Officials from Antietam School District, Mt. Penn Borough and Sen. Judy Schwank (D-Berks) and Rep. Mark Rozzi (D-Berks) issued the following statement following this morning’s mediation meeting regarding the traffic study required before renovations can take place at the Mt. Penn Primary Center.

“Through extensive discussion and open communication, we were able to come to an agreement that will allow Antietam School District to begin phased construction at the Mt. Penn Primary Center and to satisfy Mt. Penn Borough requirements under the Zoning Hearing Board decision and statewide Uniform Construction Code. Those requirements are not based on the district’s special exception application for a high school but can be used for any configuration of the building.

We are all committed to working collaboratively to overcome the challenges facing our community. Now that we’ve sat down, we are confident that our students will have a safe, in-person learning environment for the 2024-2025 school year and beyond. Antietam School District and Mt. Penn Borough would like to emphasize that both entities have acted in good faith throughout this process and are pleased that they were able to reach an agreement in this matter.”

In attendance at the meeting was Antietam School District Superintendent Heidi Rochlin, Antietam School Board President A. Michael Roberts, Antietam School Board Vice President Kyla Ramsey, Mt. Penn Borough Council President Troy Goodman, Mt. Penn Borough Council Member Michael Kindlick, Mt. Penn Borough Manager Hunter L. Ahrens, Sen. Judy Schwank and Rep. Mark Rozzi.  

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