PLEASANT VALLEY SCHOOL PRIDE
"This new building is designed to provide the best possible education for the boys and girls who
live in this attendance area. It stands today as concrete evidence of the vision and sound judgment
of the Board of Directors and the citizens for this and future generations."
- Dedication of Pleasant Valley School Addition
Friday, May 20, 1955
On November 19, 2000, as the Pleasant Valley community assembled to dedicate a spectacular new school,
we recalled an earlier milestone in the Altoona Area School District.
In 1955, the addition to the 1923 Pleasant Valley School building was the first new construction in 25 years.
The cost of this addition was $350,000. Dedication speakers included Superintendent A. Bruce Denniston,
Mowrie A. Ebner and Melvin Campbell, the directors of elementary education, and Pleasant Valley principal
Gladys Hoover.
The dedication of the all-new Pleasant Valley Elementary School offers testimony to the continued commitment
of the Altoona Area School District to the children in its care.
"ACHIEVING - ONE STUDENT AT A TIME"
A far cry from its predecessor, the new school offers an impressive array of services and amenities.
There are currently 400 students attending kindergarten through grade six. The building is capable of housing
up to 550 students in 22 spacious classrooms, each having an area of 950 square feet.
Its magnificent library renders a breathtaking view of Brush Mountain. A full-size multi-purpose room, two state
of the art computer labs, a room for large group instruction and an environmental science lab complete the complex.
This building provides a secure, nurturing educational environment for every learner.
Students, teachers and administrators are raising their own levels of expectation for performance and achievement.
In addition to academics, students participate in a multitude of extracurricular activities and programs ranging
from sports and band to chorus and student council.
Here at Pleasant Valley, families are invited to participate in their children's education as vital partners with
the school. They volunteer as coaches and school association members; and they assist in the office, computer labs
and library. In addition, parents, teachers, support staff and community members collaborate monthly through the
school's Q-SITE Council and the Pleasant Valley School Association (PVSA).
Perhaps the 1955 Altoona Mirror newspaper article summarized our sentiments best: "Yes, we the people of Altoona
can be proud of our very important investment in better schools for our children."
Resting in the serene majesty of Brush Mountain, Pleasant Valley Elementary School will continue the school district's
legacy for future generations.
