Evolution History of Delta-Peach Bottom Elementary

The Delta-Peach Bottom Elementary School, built in 1954, is the fourth school to educate the students living in the Delta area.

The first school, located where the A.M.E. Zion Church now stands, was described as a “pen of logs, chinked & daubed, with no weather board of plastering”, became the Slate Dale School in 1844. In the early 1870s a two story building was erected to house the growing number of students. It was built and is standing as the current A.M.E. Zion Church, located on Main Street. This allowed for the addition of a high school on the second floor, while the lower grades remained on the first floor.

In 1890 Delta education was again on the move as a parade of youngsters marched their equipment to the third school of Delta. This was a four room building with the entrance on Chestnut Street. It was expanded in 1913 to eight rooms and was still both elementary and high school until 1952. The high school department, through consolidation, became part of the Kennard-Dale High School of South Eastern York County Joint School System. Delta Elementary was then joined by the students from the outlying schools, Bangor, Bryansville and The Valley. Consolidation had already closed Pikes Peak, Glenwood, Mt. Joy, Slateville, River, Mt. Holly, Union and Belle View. These students occupied the building until 1954 when those doors closed on still another chapter of history.

September 1954 marked the opening of the Delta-Peach Bottom Elementary School, a brick complex that was built on part of four acres purchased from the Henrietta Pue Estate that was added on to the five and ½ acre Athletic Field already owned by the school board. Ground for the new building was broken in the summer of 1953. Although, steel and other material shortages delayed construction, the building was completed to the extent that it could be occupied at the beginning of the 1954-1955 school year. At the time of opening classrooms were absent their historical slate blackboards, but students and teachers were ready to occupy. This enterprise had its sole purpose of providing an up to date school building with pleasant classrooms and adequate equipment for the children of the Delta-Peach Bottom area. The original construction of the one hallway structure was $263,000.

The expansion of student population required Delta-Peach Bottom, in 1966, to be pioneers in the use of movable classrooms in Pennsylvania. It was hoped that this would be a temporary situation. Instead, we found it necessary to add another movable classroom in 1968, with a third added in 1971. In 1969 the P.T.A. paid for and installed the communication system. Visual aides were forth coming at this time and equipment was added as often as possible. Such items as 16mm movie projectors, overheads, ‘ditto’ machines and opaque projectors were added to the equipment used by staff.

During the 1980's a double classroom portable was added to the front of the building. Through the late 1980's it became obvious to the school board that the growing populations of all three elementary schools of South Eastern School District needed to be addressed. First, shifting the ‘middle school’ to grade five to SEMS and then with another major construction project for the District.

With the foresight of school board members, such as Mr. Thomas McShane and elementary principal, Mrs. JoAnna Parlett the expansion of Delta-Peach Bottom Elementary was underway in 1989. Classrooms were moved, earth was moved, leveled and moved again to renovate the grounds and building. By the fall of 1990 students moved in to the new portion of the building, but for the first time in 36 years students did not arrive for the opening of school in the one hallway school. The original building was closed for renovations during the 1990-1991 school year. The entire project that spanned nearly two years cost the district $4,727,679.00. At the opening of the 1991 school year fifth grade returned to the elementary. This was short lived, though by 2001 fifth grade returned to now SEMS-West.

Delta-Peach Bottom Elementary School, a K-4 building, has had a few renovations over the past 25 years. Some changes and additions that have affected the school environment are; internet/server drops for computers in every classroom, additions of support classrooms, DVD players, LCD projectors, staff, computer labs, Smartboards, lobby furniture and “air conditioning.” (A monstrous dehumidification system installed in 2004 to address problems related to moisture delayed the opening of school in 2003) Students now receive instruction from curriculum specialists in the areas of Physical Education, Music, Art, and Library throughout the course of the 6-day cycle. In 2014, Delta was the first elementary school in the District to receive renovations to its infrastructure and classrooms. Students and staff began the school year at Chanceford Elementary School (formerly of the Red Lion Area School District) and moved back into the upgraded building for the second semester of the 2014-15 school year. The other two elementary schools in the District had subsequent upgrades as well. Classrooms were expanded with new technology upgrades and white boards while the heating/air conditioning within the school was along the "green" guidelines.

The South Eastern School District is committed to the community of Delta-Peach Bottom Elementary, currently a PreK-4 building, by providing unique educational opportunities to its students and supporting the needs of all students. In recent years staff and administration have initiated a strong early intervention initiative targeting the need for strong development of early literacy skills. With that initiative Delta-Peach Bottom now has a Pre-Kindergarten, Full Day Kindergarten, and additional staff to support targeted reading initiatives for reading instruction K-4.

In 2016, a 1:1 technology initiative began with grades 3 and 4 receiving electronic devices (chromebooks) for each student while grades K-2 received classroom sets (iPad minis) with the hope of getting 1:1 in subsequent years. The Delta Dinner Theatre group of teachers helped raise $9000 over the years and contributed this to the 1:1 initiative. A certainty remains at Delta-Peach Bottom Elementary School; the staff is dedicated to providing the highest quality of education for all students while preparing them for their future!