Rossmoyne Elementary School

Mechanicsburg, PA

Rossmoyne Elementary is the first school to be built following the completion of the feasibility study for West Shore School District. Rossmoyne is a new elementary school built beside the previous 1950s-era school. The existing building was demolished upon completion of the new larger Kindergarten through Fourth grade elementary school.  The new building includes a robust technology infrastructure with wireless internet access throughout the building for the latest classroom visualization and 21st Century learning needs.

Community Connections

The new building includes enlarged and updated spaces which enhance the day-to-day educational activities in the school.  Several of these spaces were also designed with community functions in mind.  These areas reinforce the intent to provide the District and its residents with schools that are active and connected to the community.

School Safety

Measures to provide enhanced security for students, staff, and visitors include controlled building access points, a secure entrance vestibule adjacent to the new administration suite and cross-corridor doors that can separate community functions from the classroom areas of the building. The site includes separate drop-off areas for parents and busses.  These separate traffic loops improve safety by segregating the busses from other vehicular traffic.

Daylighting

All classrooms have lower window sills allowing students to see outside. The larger windows bring more daylight into the classrooms. These windows play a large role in lighting the classrooms, as all classrooms have natural light instead of solely relying on artificial lighting.

Building Organization

The building is divided into two levels within the classroom wing; shared common spaces, such as the library, administration areas and nurse suite are located on the first floor. The gymnasium doubles as the auditorium and has an integrated stage. The First through Fourth grade classrooms are organized in stacked two-story classroom wings. The First and Second Grade are on the first floor located directly below Third and Fourth Grade. Large and small group instruction areas are incorporated into the classroom wings.  Art, Music, STEAM, Guidance, and the Learning Commons are all located in the main connecting areas of the building.

The West Shore School District’s Director of Operations and Planning and Rossmoyne Elementary School’s principal sat down with RLPS Project Manager, Erin Hoffman, ALEP. They discuss what went into creating a flexible, future-ready elementary school and some of the building’s key features.

View the Video

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