Education - Bristol Township
Falls Approves Pennsbury High School Project
Updated: Jan 31 2026 at 5:05 am
Following an extensive review process, the Falls Supervisors on Thursday unanimously granted preliminary and final land development approval to Pennsbury School District to replace the existing East and West high school buildings with a new unified ninth- through 12th-grade campus on Hood Boulevard.
Construction is expected to begin later this year with an opening for the 2029-2030 school year, officials said previously.
The 497,000-square-foot, three-story building would be built on the south side of the existing campus, allowing the current high school buildings to remain operational throughout construction. In addition to the high school, a 7,150-square-foot bus maintenance garage, 1,837-square-foot transportation office, 2,400-square-foot field maintenance building and 684-square-foot concession/bathroom building would be constructed on the site.
A rendering of the Pennsbury High School project map.
Credit: Falls Twp
Once construction is complete, the two high schools, Village Park Elementary School, several accessory buildings, and parking areas would be demolished.
The board’s approval comes on the heels of a Falls Township Planning Commission approval, as well as an OK from the Bristol Township Council for the portion of school district property located in that municipality.
Prior to the vote, resident Jennifer Metzger asked the board to consider only preliminary land development on Thursday, tabling final approval for a later date.
“What’s the rush?” Metzger asked.
Supervisor Chairman Jeff Dence said the board has not rushed anything related to the project, noting that township professionals have spent the last six months reviewing the school district’s plans. Metzger had raised concerns about the possibility of construction bids coming back higher than anticipated as part of her reasoning for tabling the final land development approval.
“As a board that’s not our concern,” Dence said. “If the bids come back too high, that’s (the school board’s) problem, not ours.”
School officials have said the project is estimated to cost $270 million.
Solicitor Mike Clarke reiterated that Metzger’s concerns were under the purview of Pennsbury School Board, not the Falls Supervisors.
“There really is no need to bring them back for final,” Clarke said. “There are not going to be substantial changes.”
He also said that the school district would need to come back to the board for amended land development approval should its plans drastically change.
Supervisors Vice Chairperson Erin Mullen echoed Dence and Clarke’s sentiments but said she respected Metzger’s “participation in your government.”
Cops, Courts & Fire -Bristol Township
Bristol Twp. School District Clothing Drive Does More Than Provide Attire, It Provides Stability for Students in Need
It is one thing to see a teenage student on their way to school wearing a “hoodie” on a cold winter day.
It is an entirely different image to see a child heading to school on that same cold winter day, not wearing a winter jacket. This is the very image Bristol Township School District and Police Department officials recently joined forces to fight with a significant financial contribution from philanthropist Gene Epstein
The school district said recently it has about 130 students experiencing serious stable housing challenges.
Dr. Meredith Leach School District Social Worker said, holding the drive and providing the needed clothing for students experiencing a period of housing displacement can and does offer not only clothing, but a sense of stability students need to thrive in class.
It’s no secret, Leach said, that a sense of stability leads to achievement. By providing basic needs, such as clothing, they (school district and police department) are trying to put their students in the best possible position to succeed and thrive, despite the housing challenges their families are facing.
Leach said families experiencing housing challenges and alike usually self-identify to the school district and fellow counselors and social workers system wide to coordinate resource support.
“The school district also offers school supplies, hygiene items and if we don’t have it in stock at our offices we order it online.”
“Sometimes something so minor to an outsider, like organizers for clothing drawers, for a student means the world because it gives them a sense of control over some of the life circumstances they’re experiencing.”
“We’re lucky enough to live in a county and state where services for students experiencing this kind of life challenge there are an array of services and resources available,” Leach said.
So lucky that neighboring businesses, such as Five Below in Tullytown, donated to the cause once the clothing drive was announced.
Credit: Joanne Ames – Lower Bucks Source
The Clothing Drive
Leach said the clothing drive idea came to fruition once she and her staff reviewed the numbers and realized about 130 students were in need.
In the human services field (i.e. social work) a measure of your professional success and community connection is always having that one yet-to-be used resource in your back pocket that social workers place on the table when faced with a potentially troubling situation, experts agree.
I saw a social media post from Neshaminy School District that said “we are filling our closets.”
Leach pulled out her “Ace Card” in the form of the Bristol Twp. Police Dept. Officer John Dobbs who in turn reached out to Epstein because they worked well together in the past.
The Epsteins donated to the cause as well as Walmart making a $500 contribution to the effort, Sgt. Jason Mancuso said.
We basically filled everything the school district needed for those 125 to 130 students, Mancuso said.
The Bristol Township Police Union (PBA) contributed a number of gift cards to the effort as well.
Leach in a moment of levity said of the clothing drive spending spree paid for by Epstein, “when do you ever get carte blanche to buy what you want as a social worker? Never!” She admitted to being a bit timid at first when selecting clothing items to purchase.
“Mancuso and Dobbs changed that for me. They grabbed boxes where I was grabbing packets,” she said, in joyous laughter.
The spacious school district office where the clothes are kept and distributed to school district social workers is filled with supplies for students now, thanks to Epstein giving Mancuso his credit card allowing Leach to spend thousands on students in need.
How could I not do it and live in good conscience, Epstein said.
“Those students were in immediate need,” he said “and it would take way too much time to set up a fundraising drive. Here’s my credit card and I don’t care what you spend. Get the kids what they need.”
Credit: Joanne Ames – Lower Bucks Source
“Whatever our students need we’re going to do everything we can to help them. We don’t want any of our students walking around with needs we can help them meet. I like to think we can help our students, and their families to be build a scaffold that they in turn can build upon.”
The response to the need by the Bristol Twp Police, the PBA and the Epsteins was amazing, Leach said.
The student-focused clothing drive officially launched February 2 and remains ongoing until the need no longer exists.
Any clean clothes, even if previously worn, can be dropped off at the Bristol Twp Police records department hallway or at the Bristol Township School Admin Building on Green Lane.
Opus Outreach Foundation joined the clothing drive shortly after it was announced. Items can be dropped off at Opus Elite Real Estate 119 Trenton Road, Fairless Hills. If you want to arrange a clothing drive donation you can call Christy Becker at 267 338-7518.
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