Historic Timeline
SVSD Historic Timeline
1938 – Housing more than 1,000 students in grades K-6, the existing Evans City School consists of three separate wings built over a 50-year period. The original building was dedicated as the Evans City High School on March 11, 1938. In 1944, the first addition was constructed, and the new elementary school, now Complex “B”, was completed in 1953. The “shop wing”, or one-story section of Complex “A”, was built in 1958, and the cafeteria wing and Complex “C”, once a separate building, were built in 1959. In 1989, an addition/renovation project was complete, creating 54 new rooms including two music rooms, a computer room, a lobby and elevator, and library and library support rooms. With several major additions to the front wing and areas between the wings, the school is now configured to handle the distribution of grades separately in each wing, with all grades using a central core of shared facilities, including the library, health suite, cafeteria, music rooms, art rooms, and computer rooms.
1952 – Rowan School was originally built in 1952, replacing four, one-room school houses. Approximately, 36,176 square feet of instructional and non-instructional space was added to the existing 41,500-square-foot structure. Additional renovations were made in 1955 and 1959, but the most extensive addition/renovation project occurred in 1990 when 17 classrooms were added to the building. Rowan is divided into separate areas for academics and activities. There are a total of 31 classrooms, a 3,500-square-foot library, an art room, an instrumental music room and a general music room.
1956 – On May 14, 1956, ground was broken for construction of CVE- a joint decision of the school districts of Lancaster Township and Zelienople and Harmony Boroughs. Approximately 16 months later, the doors opened to students for the first time. During its more than four centuries of service, CVE has had playground expansions, boiler and roof replacements, and a 50,000-square-foot addition and renovation. The substantial building project was completed in 1992 and provided 26 new classrooms, plus two special education rooms, three kindergartens and two seminar rooms. Also added were a gymnasium, cafetorium and a 3,200-square-foot library, computer room, an art room, and two music rooms. In 2003, a six-room construction project called “Twoville” introduced a second grade classroom wing.
1957 - An agreement is reached by local school board entities to unify several area schools into one School District to be named the Southwest Butler County School District. This area would cover 100 square miles and include nine municipalities: Cranberry, Forward, Jackson and Lancaster townships, and Callery, Evans City, Harmony, Seven Fields and Zelienople Boroughs.
1961 - Approximately 35-40 students from Evans City (the Rams) and Zelienople (the Bears) High Schools meet to research a name and logo to represent the merger of the two high schools. The group, after discovering rich Native American Indian history, comes up with possible school names as either Oneida or Seneca. They chose these since both tribes spent time in this area, as it’s known to be part of the Venango Trail. In fact, the Seneca Indians once inhabited most of the Upper Ohio Valley, including Southwest Butler County. For a sports name, the group decides to choose from the Raiders, Warriors, or Chiefs. The color choices are blue and black, green and black, taupe and gold or crimson and white. The final decision: Seneca Valley-Home of the Raiders (blue and black colors). A mascot was also developed and appeared in yearbooks during that time as a profile or silhouette of an Indian Head.
1964 - The intermediate high school was originally built in 1964 as the first official campus building. The former high school housed students in grades 10-12 until 1994, when class configurations were changed due to the construction of a senior high school. The name is changed to Seneca Valley Intermediate High School for grades 9-10. Significant building renovations to the IHS were made in 1996 to the swimming pool, auditorium and technology. In 2003, a three-story addition was constructed on the south side of the building and included much needed classroom space as well as new technology education classrooms.
1965 -On July 1, 1965, the Seneca Valley School District, known at that time as the Southwest Butler County School District, was notified that it was an officially established school district after several years of unification planning. The first class had just graduated (our high school doors opened in 1964) and the secondary campus only had one building on it (oh how things have changed!). The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania Department of Public Instruction issues an official certificate establishing the Southwest Butler County School District.
1968 - Original construction of what is now Haine Elementary School was completed in the summer of 1968. Renovations were made in 1975 and 1985, where 21 classrooms were added. In 1996, the fifth and sixth grade middle school wing was completed with three floors and 38 classrooms. Approximately 212,300 concrete blocks were needed to complete the new addition, which includes a gymnasium, cafetorium, art room, music rooms, library and administrative offices.
1971- Construction of the Seneca Valley Junior High began in 1971. Once completed, it housed students in grades 7-9. Minor renovations were made to the building in both 1987 and 1988. In the fall of 1994, after the senior high school was built, the junior high building configuration was adjusted to house grades 7-8. In the fall of 1997, change came again in the form of a new name – the Seneca Valley Middle School. This new name was a reflection of the middle school team teaching concept being introduced districtwide in grades 5-8. The first major building renovation began in 2001. Due to growth, student capacity had reached its limit and students were being taught in ten modular units placed around the building. Once construction was completed in the 2003-04 school year, building upgrades included a lobby area, gymnasium, auditorium, art rooms, music rooms, cafeteria, library and technical education areas. In addition, classrooms were added to the sides and rear of the building near where the modular units once stood.
1987- The Southwest Butler County School District is renamed the Seneca Valley School District on July 1, to complement the already existing senior high and middle schools of the same name.
1994 - The senior high school, grades 11-12 opened its doors for the first time in the fall of 1994. The original three-floor structure included a television studio, 35 classrooms, five computer labs, seven science labs, three home economics labs, four industrial arts areas and facilities for band, chorus and art. In addition, there was a new gymnasium, library, cafeteria and 600-seat auditorium.
2007 – In 2007, a three-story classroom addition was constructed in the senior high school and included a new guidance suite, as well as additional classrooms and lab spaces. The old guidance suite was converted to house the administration offices of the Seneca Valley Academy of Choice, a cyber and arts program for students in grades K-12.
2015 – In celebration of SV’s 50th Anniversary, Superintendent of Schools Dr. Tracy Vitale and School Board Director Vice President Mr. James Nickel placed the final items in the time capsule at the school board meeting on April 4, 2016. The time capsule was secured in a wall opening in the senior high school marked with a plaque signifying its existence. It won’t be opened again until 2065, the District’s 100th anniversary.
2018 - In February 2018, members of the Seneca Valley School Board unanimously agreed to take steps that will ensure the name and legacy of Sgt. 1st Class Ryan A. Gloyer (SV ’00), who died courageously in battle in Kunduz, Afghanistan on Thursday, Nov. 3, 2016, will never be forgotten. That evening, during a regular School Board action meeting, the nine members of the Board unanimously agreed to rename the Seneca Valley Middle School (SVMS) the Ryan Gloyer Middle School (RGMS).
2021 - In February 2021, members of the Seneca Valley School Board and public gathered for the ribbon cutting and grand opening of the Seneca Valley Aquatic Center, located on the secondary campus in Jackson Township. The eight-lane pool replaced the original natatorium built in 1965. A part of the District’s long-term facilities planning efforts, the SV Aquatic Center features a pool and deck area that can accommodate a maximum of 517 people, and a spectator area with a maximum occupancy of 458.
2022 - In June 2022, as part of a feasibility plan that began in 2014, the District closed the doors of Evans City School after 84 years of educational excellence. This was in preparation for the opening of a new K-6 facility off of Ehrman Road in Cranberry Township.
2022 - In August 2022, the District opened Ehrman Crest Elementary / Middle School, grades K-6, in Cranberry Township. Students from Evans City School now attend Ehrman Crest, along with several areas located near the property, as a redistricting plan was implemented in tandem with the opening of the school. A unique part of Ehrman Crest Elementary/Middle School is the partnership with the Children’s Museum of Pittsburgh and CannonDesign to provide active, hands-on experiences throughout the building, so the learning spaces are more collaborative, relevant, and engaging for students. The educational facility was designed to serve as a model for others to come in demonstrating why physical learning environments play a key role in educational outcomes. So successful was the building design that in November 2022, TIME named Ehrman Crest one of its Best Inventions of 2022, a global recognition that has generated interest and tour requests from around the state and nation. To learn more, read "The Story of Ehrman Crest" by clicking this link.