At farewell event, Bellefonte community celebrates downtown school’s longtime legacy
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- Community members celebrated Bellefonte Elementary School at a farewell event.
- The school will close in June after more than 80 years of teaching students.
- The new Bellefonte Elementary School will open in time for the 2026-27 year.
Hundreds of community members were on hand Thursday evening to celebrate the longtime legacy of a beloved Bellefonte school.
A farewell event at Bellefonte Elementary School gave alumni, families and friends one last chance to walk the school’s grounds, tour behind-the-scenes areas and reflect on decades of memories made in its hallways and classrooms. The school will close in June to make way for the new Bellefonte Elementary along Airport Road, marking the first time the Linn Street site has not housed a school since 1869.
The elementary school was buzzing with activity during the open house as excited students hurried through the halls to show families and friends their favorite classrooms. Community members hugged and cheered as they reunited with old friends and reminisced about their days at Bellefonte Elementary.
The evening also featured the screening of a roughly hour-long documentary produced by Bellefonte teachers Matt Maris and Carla Cipro, who interviewed key district figures, discussed the building’s history and spoke to alumni who remember studying there many decades ago. The wide range of stories shared throughout the film underscored Bellefonte Elementary’s place as an educational cornerstone in the community.
Steve Klein, a retired Bellefonte teacher, said the generational appeal is evident for Bellefonte Elementary, which has instructed some of the district’s youngest students for more than 80 years.
“This is the heart of downtown, and it’s been the heart of downtown for 150 years,” Klein told the Centre Daily Times. “It’s going to be a shame when it closes, but the turnout tonight and people reaching out to me over the years since I’ve retired speaks to the heartbeat that still beats in all of us, long after this is gone. This will always be the school.”
Klein completed his student teaching in Bellefonte’s district before instructing students at Bellefonte Elementary School for his entire career. Over the years, he enjoyed offering tours to students to highlight the building’s history and lesser-known spots.
He extended that same opportunity to guests at Thursday’s farewell event by leading three behind-the-scenes tours across the building. Groups of curious community members visited Bellefonte Elementary’s boiler room, memorial garden and the famed “dirt cellar” — a storage room of sorts filled with dirt where a lap pool was once planned.
Celebrating Bellefonte Elementary’s history
The Bellefonte Elementary building, constructed in 1941, once served as Bellefonte’s high school before becoming a middle school in 1956. The school’s construction was delayed at the height of World War II, when many construction materials were diverted toward the war effort.
The site along Linn Street first became home to a school in the late 1860s. Bellefonte’s district tore down the nine-room school there in 1910 to make way for a new high school, which was destroyed following a boiler room fire in 1939.
Patti Hillard fondly recalls visiting Bellefonte Elementary School in the late 1960s to take drumming lessons so she could eventually join her high school’s band. She graduated from St. John the Evangelist Catholic School in 1973 and served as a featured subject in the farewell event’s documentary.
Hillard, who is now retired after serving as the district’s transportation director, remembers Bellefonte Elementary School as a community fixture. She recalls seeing its grand auditorium used for plays and musicals, union meetings and even local companies’ holiday parties.
“It’s wonderful to see people celebrating this building,” Hillard said. “This particular auditorium was used by so many community groups. This is a grand room, and I’m really hoping someone will take it in and be a good steward for it. The history of this building is just amazing.”
Moving forward
For now, it’s not yet clear what will become of the Bellefonte Elementary building following its closure at the end of the 2025-26 school year alongside Benner Elementary School. The district’s school board is expected to begin those discussions in the coming months.
Roy Rakszawski, the superintendent, said he hopes Bellefonte’s community will continue celebrating its longtime schools before the new Bellefonte Elementary opens this fall.
“I’m not surprised at all by the turnout,” Rakszawski said of the farewell event. “It speaks to the level of commitment this community has to the public schools, the history and traditions here that go back many generations and the sense of partnership between the school and the community. There’s a lot of mixed feelings here tonight. Many people are sad to see this chapter end but very excited to see what’s coming with the new school.”
Benner Elementary will host its own farewell event from 5-7 p.m. on Monday, June 1. The public is welcome to view a one-hour video celebrating “Benner’s rich history, memories and beloved community” before touring the school grounds.
The new Bellefonte Elementary is expected to open in time for the 2026-27 school year. The 96,000-square-foot building, constructed for $55.3 million, can accommodate up to 750 students and offers more modern amenities, including outdoor learning spaces and a media center.
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