Mars Area School District superintendent Mark Gross said Tuesday, April 18, that administrators are making plans to address the enrollment capacity at the primary center and the elementary school. Eddie Trizzino/Butler Eagle

Mars Area School District is planning forums for community members to give their input on potential expansion projects for the primary center and the elementary school.

A study conducted by Jon Thomas, of Thomas and Williamson Program Management, in late summer of 2022, showed that the Mars Area Primary Center is operating at 105% capacity, while Mars Area Elementary is at 101% capacity.

At the March 29 school board meeting, the consulting firm recommended a $36 million expansion to address those issues.

Mark Gross, district superintendent, said at a meeting of the school board Tuesday, April 18, that administrators are evaluating the findings of the study and will soon announce ways community members can give their input.

“We are now running through some other scenarios... to see what the feasibility is,” Gross said April 18. “So as soon as we finish this next little exercise, we are going to schedule another public meeting so we can have additional discussion on some other options that the district has.”

Gross previously said the district has some immediate ideas to mitigate the overpopulation of the schools, but planning is needed for the long-term solutions. That is where community input comes in, he said.

“I have worked with Mr. Thomas to determine the best way to do that, the best way to solicit that input,” Gross said. “Now we’re digging deeper, and as we come up with more ideas we’ll be presenting those.”

The school board accepted a $20,000 donation from LEFCON, a Harmony-based computer support company, at the April 18 meeting, and agreed to display the company’s logo on the district’s Route 228 marquee.

The donation will be used to support instructional technology, according to the board’s vote. LEFCON’s logo soon will be placed on both sides of the marquee.