Intermediate School Construction

We are currently awaiting the assignment of a judge and a court date related to the appeal filed by the District in January. While a specific timeline is not available, we remain hopeful the District will hear something soon and look forward to sharing updates as the process progresses.

Message sent February 22, 2026

Good evening, York Suburban Staff, Families, and Community Members.

I am writing to provide an update regarding the proposed grade-level realignment for East York and Indian Rock Elementary Schools.

On February 3, I shared a message outlining a proposed grade level realignment at the intermediate school level, which would bring all York Suburban third grade students together at Indian Rock, with fourth and fifth grade students together at East York, beginning with the 2026–2027 school year. Since that time, families and staff members have reached out with questions, concerns, ideas, and words of support. I want to sincerely thank everyone who took the time to share feedback, participate in conversations, and engage thoughtfully in this process. 

After careful consideration, the Administration has decided to remove the proposed intermediate realignment from Monday evening’s School Board agenda.

Administration feels confident it can successfully execute the proposal, which represents a responsible and student-centered approach to addressing current facility challenges while strengthening instructional programming for students in grades 3, 4, and 5. However, significant organizational change requires not only sound planning but also community understanding and confidence.

This pause does not mean the underlying challenges have changed. Indian Rock Elementary continues to operate over capacity, operational inefficiencies remain, and potential instructional benefits connected to realignment will be delayed. At the same time, successful implementation depends on transparency, readiness, and shared understanding, and it is our responsibility to strengthen those elements before bringing a recommendation forward for Board consideration.

The conversations we are having now reflect larger realities facing public education. Like many districts, York Suburban must balance evolving student needs, facility limitations, financial constraints, and long-term sustainability. These are complex decisions the Board will face moving forward.

Thank you again for your continued partnership, your feedback, and your commitment to our students and schools as we navigate the next steps.

Sincerely,

Scott T. Krauser, Ed.D.
Superintendent of Schools

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Message sent February 3, 2026

Good morning, York Suburban Staff, Families, and Community Members.

Under our original timeline, construction of a new York Suburban Intermediate School would have begun in December 2024, and this month, I would be providing an update on our plans to welcome students and staff to their new school in August 2026. Sadly, despite the District’s efforts, Township approvals have not been granted, preventing construction and delaying the planned opening of a new facility.

While construction of a new intermediate school remains the District’s preferred and best long-term solution, we cannot, and will not, allow the Township delays to limit the support, resources, and opportunities our students need today. Last night, the Board of School Directors discussed a proposal for a grade level realignment at the intermediate school level, which would bring all York Suburban third grade students together at Indian Rock, with fourth and fifth grade students together at East York, beginning with the 2026–2027 school year. In other words, we are continuing to move forward with the District’s plan to bring grade levels from the two schools together, but we will be using our existing facilities rather than the new school.

For those interested in reviewing last night’s Board presentation and discussion, the following resources are available.

• Board Meeting Livestream of the Presentation
• Presentation Slides

The realignment does not replace the plan to build a new intermediate school, nor does it signal a change in the District’s commitment to that outcome. Rather, it is a short-term operational response to conditions that would not have existed had construction been permitted to proceed on schedule. While we continue to pursue a legal appeal of the Township’s decision, we also have a responsibility to address the learning conditions our students and staff are experiencing today.

Over the past decade, the academic, social, and emotional needs of students have continued to grow and evolve. Meeting those needs requires close collaboration among educators and consistent access to specialized supports. Our current intermediate structure makes it increasingly difficult to deliver instruction and services as effectively as we know our students require.

In addition, under the current framework, Indian Rock Elementary has reached its functional capacity. Enrollment growth and expanded programming have led to shared instructional and office spaces and, in some cases, to the use of areas not originally designed for teaching and learning. While staff have worked creatively and flexibly to support students, these conditions affect daily learning and are not sustainable. Under the original construction timeline, these challenges would have been resolved with the opening of the new school. Since construction has been delayed, we must still address these existing challenges, but in another way.

The grade-level realignment is grounded in what we know about effective instruction and student support. Bringing teachers of the same grade level together under one roof strengthens collaboration, aligns instruction, improves access to services, and allows staff to respond more effectively to student needs.

The realignment also provides many of the educational benefits associated with a new intermediate school, including stronger instructional alignment, more targeted student support, and more efficient use of staffing and resources. It also positions the District to move forward more smoothly once the appeal is resolved, without the additional disruption of merging separate school communities later.

Importantly, the realignment represents a fiscally responsible path forward. Although other alternatives were explored, several were not sustainable within the District’s current financial parameters. This recommendation balances educational priorities with responsible stewardship of our resources, allowing us to act now without compromising the District’s long-term financial health.

At this time, the Board has not taken any official action. Next steps will be guided by the outcome of the regular meeting on Monday, February 23, when the Board will be asked to take action on the proposal.

If the recommendation moves forward, you can anticipate additional information through a series of in-person meetings for families and staff. These meetings will provide you with an opportunity to better understand how the transition would impact students, staff, programs, and daily operations. Throughout the process, the District is committed to clear communication and thoughtful support to make the adjustment as easy as possible for all involved.

I want to end by acknowledging how deeply our families, staff, community, and School Board care about York Suburban students and their learning. That shared commitment is what guides every decision we make, and it’s why this discussion about our intermediate schools matters so much. It’s also one of the many things that make York Suburban such a special place.

Thank you for your continued confidence and patience as we navigate the next steps.

Sincerely,

Scott T. Krauser, Ed.D.
Superintendent of Schools

Message sent October 21, 2025

Good afternoon York Suburban Families, Staff, and Community Members.

Recently, information has been circulating in the community regarding the status of the new Intermediate School, which will serve students in grades 3–5. I want to provide clarity, address questions, and share an update on the progress we have made.

Over the past several months, the York Suburban School District has continued to work diligently and in good faith to advance plans for the new Intermediate School. As part of this process, the District has engaged regularly with Springettsbury Township over the last 16 months to meet requirements related to land development. Most recently:

• July 17 – The District received conditional approval from the Township Planning Commission to proceed to the Board of Supervisors for consideration. 
• September 25 – Having met all the conditions outlined in the July conditional approval, the District was optimistic that the Board of Supervisors would proceed with action on the project. However, during the meeting, the Board chose to table it. Just hours beforehand, Township staff submitted new questions that expanded on the conditions in the original approval. Since these issues were not raised in previous reviews, the District lacked sufficient time to respond before the meeting.
• September 30 and October 7 – District professional consultants (architect, engineers, project manager, attorney, etc.) worked closely with the Township to address the comments received on September 25.
• October 8 – Revised plans, which reflected a collaboration between District consultants and the Township, were submitted for review with the intent of being added to the October 23 Board of Supervisors meeting agenda.       
• October 16 and October 20 – The District received new and different comments from the Township. Due to the short notice, the District has requested that the Land Development Plan be deferred until the next Township meeting on November 19. This will allow sufficient time to address the items thoroughly before presenting to the Board of Supervisors.

We want to be transparent with our community. The District’s absence from Thursday’s Township Board of Supervisors agenda is not due to a lack of preparation or diligence on our part. This project has been years in the making and guided by a deliberate, data-driven process, not by haste. We deeply value our partnership with the Township, but are frustrated by the impact that its repeated last-minute requests are having on both timelines and potential costs. 

We encourage community members to stay engaged. Additional information about the Intermediate School and High School renovation projects can be found on the District website.

Thank you for your continued confidence and patience as we navigate this next step. Our focus remains exactly where it should be, on doing what is best for our students in a fiscally responsible and transparent way. 

Sincerely,

Scott T. Krauser, Ed.D.
Superintendent of Schools