In January 2021, major renovations to Loganville Springfield Elementary School, one of Dallastown’s five elementary schools throughout the district, concluded. These renovations began Feb. 2019 to expand the building’s capacity limits and modern accommodations, as the original building hasn’t received any official updates since 1972. For more information on the LSE renovations, click here.

While the renovations to LSE began to come to an end, the class of 2021 began to finish their last year as a Dallastown wildcat. Principal Dr. Kelly Kessler has allowed Kyra Devaney, Daniel Lintz, and Abigail Way, three LSE alumni and current members of the class of 2021, to tour the new building on May 25.
The following article is a reflection of the three seniors’ time at LSE and how the school has changed.

It’s official… I am about to end my 13 year career as a Dallastown Wildcat. My years at Dallastown began at Loganville Springfield Elementary School, one of the five elementary schools in the district.
I spent four years at LSE, as during my time in elementary school the Intermediate school was built that became the new home to students from fourth to sixth grade. In those four years, the building changed drastically.
I remember trailers that were used to house classrooms full of students that the original building didn’t accommodate until DAIS was built.
I remember the cafeteria doubling as an auditorium and the mosaic of a train we constructed covering a wall. The warm colors and colorful decorations; the fish tank; the maroon and cyan bathrooms; all vivid aspects of the building in my memory.
In recent years, LSE underwent a major renovation- and as I’ve heard from others- changed the school completely. I would drive by LSE throughout the renovations, and I slowly watched the school I recognized grow into a modern palace of education.
As in a short time I will be graduating, I thought it would be fitting to return to LSE with a few LSE alumni/current seniors and to see how the school that jump started our career as a Wildcat has changed.
Principal Dr. Kessler graciously allowed three of us to return to our old elementary school and receive a tour… and how it has changed.

The Tour

Loganville’s entrance is designed completely differently. The small brick entrance that we once walked through every single day was walled in. Down to the left of where the old entrance was lies the new entrance with two double doors surrounded by windows. Walking in, there was a common area vestibule with doors to either the office or into the hallways of the new addition.

It is immediately evident that there was attention paid to and priority of natural light in the building. We all agreed that there were also more measures of modern security, as we did not have a vestibule area when we were in attendance at LSE.

Once we were inside, we all were confused as to where we were in relation to the original building almost immediately.
Kessler began our tour by taking us down the new kindergarten hallway, explaining to us that these new classrooms were in place of the original cafeteria and auditorium.

Special care was put into every detail, down to the floor tiles.
Kessler explained to us that there was intention behind the two strips of blue tiles in the new hallways. She explained that it gives the kids a path to follow in the hallways and maintain order.

When we attended LSE, we were a part of constructing a train mosaic on the wall of the cafeteria. We were each able to place one small piece of glass on the wall, and that is one of the most memorable moments of my years at LSE.
Every time I would walk in there, I would be reminded of my years at LSE and the amazing memories. The mosaic made us feel a part of the school.

So it was inevitable that we were all curious about what happened to it.
Unfortunately in the construction, the mosaic was removed. But, much of it was able to be preserved and is currently in storage. Kessler plans to have the pieces put into a new mosaic to hang in the new cafeteria eventually.

Beyond the new classrooms in the kindergarten and first grade hallways, the second grade and third grade classrooms now all have doors.
When we attended LSE, many of our second and third grade classrooms were simply rooms boxed in by temporary walls and portable shelves.
While the openness kept everyone connected, it is nice to see that all these classrooms have doors. It is such a simple commodity, but necessary due to protection and safety concerns in today’s world.

Kessler also explained the layout of the third grade classrooms. She said they planned out the layout of a common area and classrooms along one main wall to mimic the layout of teams at Dallastown Area Intermediate School.
This allows for a more comfortable transition for students between the two schools.

The third grade wing is located in the vicinity of the original gym. We fondly remember many events on those old wood floors- laser light shows, PSSA practice, and many rounds of mat ball and other fun gym activities.

Down the hallway from the area where the old gym stood is a new gymnasium that doubles as an auditorium.
The high ceilings with large windows bring in much natural light to the new equipment and blue rubber floors, a much softer material than the wood. There are also retractable bleachers, a stage, a projector, and sound system.

Near the gym are many more rooms for art, music, and even a STEAM room, a classroom connected to the new library by a garage door that houses many technology resources and provides a revolutionary environment for young students to first hand experience technology, math, and art.

Kessler explained the goal with the interior, such as the garage door, was to feel industrial and cohesive between all the new rooms.

The library is located in the same area as we remember it, just with a completely new facelift.
There are new seating areas with green and blue cushions to match the new colors of the walls, and larger bookshelves to allow the LSE library collection to grow. A courtyard with numerous tables is also connected to the renovated library.

Lastly, Kessler showed us the cafeteria, where many students were eating lunch. Due to COVID, the elementary kids were currently sitting at individual desks, but in a normal year without restrictions, would be sitting together at long lunch tables.

The serving line for food now has a modernized kitchen and continues the colors of blue and green that were found in the library and around the school. The cafeteria also doubles as a faculty meeting room for Kessler.

Recess led to some of Lintz, Devaney, and I’s favorite memories. Tall metal slides and lots of unique monkey bars and equipment to climb and slide down shaped our recess time.

Outside of the school, the playground equipment we knew from our days at LSE was no longer there. In place stood two new playgrounds complete with jungle gyms and swings.
They also put up a fence around the blacktop area on the playground primarily used for kindergarten and first grade.

Final Thoughts

It became clear to us walking around that school that Loganville was completely different. There is nothing that we recognized from our four years there; we felt out of place.

The environment just felt so different; it is a new school.
“There was something about Loganville that made it special. Maybe it was the dated hallways that were homey and comforting. Maybe it was the plums of artwork strung between each classroom door,” Lintz said.

“I fondly remember Mr. Carl and everything he would do, including sleeping on the roof for one of our SWEBS rewards. Everyone would get so excited. The sense of excitement and camaraderie seems to have disappeared, whether that be due to COVID or the fact that the school isn’t the Loganville I know and love.”

Change is inevitable. Often for better, but it doesn’t come without a few melancholy moments. It was had to see that the school I had loved so much and had such deep pride for was gone.

“The school definitely needed renovations. I mean, when we were there the third grade classrooms didn’t have doors. The sad part was walking into a school that was unrecognizable to me,” Devaney said.

“It didn’t feel like the Loganville I knew and loved, but I’m sure that these current students will feel the same loving attitude toward this school. All in all, it’s the teachers and administrators that create the lasting memories, not the building.”

Seeing Loganville in its’ redone state, I realized just how much time has passed since we walked the halls. It made me realize that it wasn’t just the building that gave Loganville character, but the teachers and staff that led us.

Although the Loganville building we love is gone, the new LSE that stands in its place has some of the best teachers and staff Dallastown has ever seen. I have no doubt in my mind that LSE will continue to shape future generations into some of the most amazing people Dallastown will ever see.

As we used to say, “North, South, East, and West… Loganville Springfield is the best!”