The District is working with architects, engineers, educational planners, and municipal partners to design a school that meets today’s teaching and learning needs — while remaining adaptable for generations of Abington students to come. Plans emphasize several core design principles:

·        Safety and security

·        Accessibility and inclusion

·        Light, air, and connection to nature

·        Cost control, energy-efficiency and long-term value

The building is being designed based on current operational needs, long-term planning considerations, and the goal of supporting efficient daily student movement throughout the school. This includes appropriate restroom facilities, cafeteria seating, and circulation space designed to support smooth transitions between classes and accommodate future flexibility as enrollment needs evolve. 

For more information about the design process, visit the Design Page.

Yes. The design process considers a variety of learning environments, including areas for small-group work, enrichment opportunities, and flexible instruction. These spaces are intended to support a wide range of learners and instructional approaches to ensure the District can meet students’ educational needs for years to come.

Plans prioritize clear sightlines, well‑monitored entry points, appropriate hallway spacing, and secure separation of public and academic areas. These features help promote student safety while maintaining a welcoming environment.

Accessibility is a core design principle guiding the project. The new Middle School will fully meet ADA requirements and is being designed to ensure all students, staff, and visitors can access, use, and move through the building comfortably and safely.

The building is being designed with high-efficiency systems that support energy conservation, durability, and healthy indoor environments. Sustainability is a key consideration in long-term cost control and building performance, and the District and design team continue to explore additional energy-efficient and sustainable design alternatives throughout the planning process.

Yes. Input from teachers and staff is a core part of ensuring the new Abington Middle School supports the District’s standard of excellence and student achievement. The District has engaged administrators, educators, and staff throughout the planning and design process, and will continue gathering feedback as designs are refined.

The planned size of the new Middle School building is approximately 345,000 square feet. This estimate is based on the District’s educational program and overall space needs for academics, common areas, performing arts, fitness and wellness, administration, student services, and building operations. The design team continues to refine layouts and evaluate space efficiencies while balancing educational priorities, long-term value, fiscal responsibility, and flexibility for future needs.

The new building is being designed to support the District’s current middle school population while also providing flexibility to accommodate future enrollment changes over time. The proposed capacity reflects both present operational needs and long-range planning considerations to help ensure the building can effectively serve Abington students for decades to come.

The District’s decision to implement universal restrooms was driven by a commitment to creating a welcoming, inclusive, and safe environment for all students. The design balances individual privacy of fully enclosed restroom stalls, with appropriate visibility in common areas outside of the stalls, allowing staff to effectively supervise the space while supporting student dignity and security.

The Abington Township Police Department and Fire Marshal have reviewed the design, including building features and the safety procedures planned for students and staff. We will continue working with both throughout the design phase.

The design team has heard the concerns of the community regarding the amount of glass in the project. While natural light will still be available in each classroom to ensure the best learning environment for students, through the value engineering process, the architects were able to scale back on much of the interior glass, being sure to retain glass that was intended to aid in supervision between spaces.

Common areas within each pod may be used as an extension of a classroom for lessons in which more space is needed – such as for students to collaborate in small groups – joint lessons or activities between two classes, and/or for students to individually use the area when they need additional time on an assignment or to make up a test where they are still in view of the classroom teacher. These are just a few examples, as the space is designed to provide flexibility for different grades and teachers.

Concerns regarding existing hallway congestion were carefully considered during the design process. The smallest hallways in the new building are over 11 feet wide, providing significantly more space than comparable hallways in the current building. Furthermore, the grade-level pod organization limits the number of students traveling through the same corridors at any given time, reducing counterflow traffic and helping maintain a comfortable and orderly environment during class transition.

The counseling offices in the new Abington Middle School are comparable to those in the current Middle School, but they will be more dispersed throughout other parts of the building so that counselors are more accessible to students during the school day. There will be a central Counseling Center on the second floor, and the counselors assigned to each grade will shift locations each school year so that they are following their gradeband of students from floor to floor.