Meanwhile, the rest of the district’s land was being developed, primarily with houses meant for growing families. Over the years, the district added on to the building, which eventually sprawled across the property representing several eras of architectural styles. As a township, Upper Dublin has grown tremendously since the original one-story brick high school opened its doors in 1955. For a while it was nearly 100 and will be gearing up to about 85 as the next phase moves along.” There have been no ’wars’ between contractors. These are highly intelligent guys and there is a lot of great communication and fun on the job. People still have that idea in their minds that construction workers aren’t very smart and use a lot of rough language and all that, but that’s not this group at all. These guys are not ’regular’ construction workers. Gilbert Architects Inc., Lancaster, Pa., and D’Huy Engineering Inc., Bethlehem, Pa., have been at the forefront of the project, along with what Warren Gericke, senior project manager of D’Huy, characterized as a team of “the best of the best primes. The project began in March 2008 a year after voters approved a Debt Act Referendum, the first time this has been done in Pennsylvania for the building of a new school since the inception of Act 1 of 2006, which capped school tax increases.
Yet Charles Rittenhouse, principal of Upper Dublin High School, Fort Washington, Pa., and himself a graduate of the school, seems quite at ease in the midst of this massive project and rightfully proud of the work that has been accomplished so far. Being an effective principal in a school that is being demolished, shifted around and rebuilt all on the same site, while classes are in session, seems a lot to expect from any educator. Managing the needs of students, faculty, staff, parents and the surrounding community is oftentimes a miracle of patience, expertise and careful juggling. High school principal is a difficult role to fill under the best of circumstances.