The Coatesville school board last night advanced the construction of a new Rainbow Elementary School when it approved swapping 7.6 acres the district owns with Valley Township in exchange for the township agreeing to forgo fees and land use requirements.

Specifically, Valley Township must agree to waive permit fees and pre-construction requirements totaling $1,308,441. Specifically, district engineers estimate waiving the 1.5 percent permit fee will save the district $435,941. They say the district will also save $720,000 by not being forced to relocate utility poles. Another $152,500 will be saved by not being required to widen Route 30.

The township plans to build a new township building on the site, formerly known as the Stoltzfus Property. "It's a win win for everyone," said Walter Johnson, a Valley Township supervisor who attended the meeting.

The school board has already approved building a $29.4 million elementary school adjacent the present Rainbow Elementary school which eventually will be demolished. The new Rainbow Elementary School is part of a $300 million, district-wide renovation and construction program. Recently, renovations were completed at the 910 Center. Renovations are now underway at the high school.

The school district originally planned the first replace the Caln Elementary School; however, those plans were put on hold because of failure to find an adequate building site.

The property being transferred to Valley Township was part of a larger purchase made during the administration of then Superintendent Lou Laurento for a new mega school. Those plans were scrapped when Laurento fell out of favor with a newly elected school board.