January 2, 2025 - ChaddsFordLive.com

Special meeting for Patton MS

The Unionville-Chadds Ford School District is just about a month-and-a-half away from deciding what to do about C.F. Patton Middle School. A vote is scheduled for the school board’s Feb. 18 meeting, but a special meeting with a presentation is also scheduled for Monday, Jan. 6.

The options on the table for the school are to either build a new one, renovate the current building, or to just maintain the present structure as needed, according to Superintendent of Schools John Sanville.

He said in a meeting a few months ago, “There is no cheap option. Whether we maintain the building, whether we build a new building, or renovate, it’s going to cost the district millions of dollars. That’s just a reality.”

But, he added, the district is in good financial shape to do what’s necessary. And, as he has said from the beginning of the conversation, “No decision has been reached.”

During next week’s meeting, Sanville is expected to deliver a report on a feasibility study conducted by the architectural firm Marotta/Main. U-CF retained Marotta/Main in June to perform the study.

At issue with the Patton — built in 1972 and considered state of the art for that period — is that various renovations made to the school over the years left many rooms with a lack of light. It was full of light at the time it was built, but those renovations and expansions were built around the original rectangle, leaving many classrooms — about 70 percent, according to Assistant Superintendent Tom Hoffman — without any natural light. The plumbing and electrical systems are also original.

By contrast, the school with the next lowest amount of natural light is Chadds Ford Elementary with 20 percent of the rooms lacking the light. Pocopson, the most recent school building, only lacks natural light in 1 percent of the rooms.

A FAQ page on the district website says that schools lacking proper daylight have a negative impact on health and scholastic achievements.

That FAQ page, found here, also addresses various aspects of construction and costs. When it comes to costs and potential tax increases, the page says “If we choose to renovate or replace the middle school, tax increases will continue to remain below the Act I Index and Consumer Price Index (CPI). These two measures keep us in step with inflation and wage growth.”

There were several informational-gathering meetings during the last three months, giving the public a chance to tour the school and hear the concerns.

The special meeting will be held this Monday, Jan. 6, from 7-10 p.m. at Patton Middle School, 760 Unionville Road.

About Rich Schwartzman

Rich Schwartzman has been reporting on events in the greater Chadds Ford area since September 2001 when he became the founding editor of The Chadds Ford Post. In April 2009 he became managing editor of ChaddsFordLive. He is also an award-winning photographer.

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Around Town Jan. 2

Rotten_NoFrame-4-768x509 — Something Rotten is coming to Candlelight Theater.

• Candlelight Theater in Wilmington opens its 2025 season with the musical comedy Something Rotten. The show is a musical farce based on a cross of 16^th century Shakespeare and 21^st century Broadway. It’s been called “the funniest musical comedy in the last 400 years.” It runs from Jan. 18 through Feb. 23. Go here for ticketing information.

Learn “interiorscaping” at Longwood Gardens on Jan. 18.

• Longwood Gardens is offering a chance for people to learn how to do some “interiorscaping,” what Longwood is calling “the art of creating beautiful indoor gardens to admire and take care of.” This is a lecture given by plant and interior stylist, author, and artist Hilton Carter, who explores how he creates and maintains his gardens. He will explain how to select and care for plants indoors, as well as how to style plants in your home — and keep them happy and healthy. The event runs from 2-3:30 p.m. on Saturday, Jan. 18, and costs $39. Register here.

Todd Webb, Diner, Ouray, CO, 1955, printed 2023, inkjet print, courtesy of Todd Webb Archive. © Todd Webb Archive.

• The Brandywine Museum of Art is gearing up for its next exhibit which will open in February. It’s called Robert Frank and Todd Webb: Across America, 1955, and runs from Feb. 9 through May 11. The exhibit is based on the photographs taken during travels across the country. The two worked independently of one another and neither knew the other, but both were working under fellowships from the Guggenheim Foundation for U.S. survey projects.

• What was life like before electricity? That’s just what a new event from the Chester County History Center is about. Discovery in the Dark: A Children’s Event is scheduled for 5-7:30 p.m. on Saturday, Jan. 25. In addition to learning about a pre-electric past, kids can learn about different sources of light, and what life was like from brushing teeth to tightening a rope bed. They’ll also get a chance to explore the darkened museum with a flashlight and compete in a scavenger hunt. Discovery in the Dark is aimed at children 6-12 years of age. Space is limited. Admission is $8 for children ages 6-18 and $10 for adults; members get 50 percent off. Register here.