The Reading School District officially unveiled its new Reading High School Innovation Academy on Thursday with a ribbon-cutting ceremony at 817 N. 9th St., marking a major investment in the future of the city’s students.
District leaders, elected officials, staff, students and community members gathered for the event, celebrating a project that has been in development for nearly five years.
“This moment is definitely a historic moment in the history of the Reading School District because we’re not just opening a building,” Superintendent Dr. Khalid Mumin said. “We are opening the doors. We are opening the minds, and we are opening the future for our young people here in the city.”
The Innovation Academy was first envisioned in 2021, when district leaders proposed purchasing land to build a new school. Despite challenges that included the COVID-19 pandemic and funding uncertainty, the project moved forward, with a groundbreaking held in 2023.
According to School Board President Dr. Noahleen Betts, the district ultimately invested $56.2 million into the project. “Today, we have spent $56,200,000 to bring the dream of our Innovation Academy to fruition,” Betts said.
District officials said the new facility is designed to provide a modern, career-connected learning environment, with a focus on hands-on, real-world experiences.
Wanda Gonzalez-Crespo, Assistant Superintendent, School Improvement said the academy reflects the district’s belief in its students. “This moment represents far more than a new building or a new program,” she said. “It reflects a bold, genuine commitment on behalf of the Reading School District to our students and a deep, deep belief in their limitless potential.”
The academy will offer several academic pathways, including engineering and design, computer science and information technology, health and biomedical science, and STEM and human services.
“These pathways are experiences that bring relevance, purpose, and direction to our students’ education,” JuliAnne Kline, Assistant Superintendent, Teaching and Learning said.
Wayne Gehris, Chief Financial Officer said the project was shaped through input from staff, students and community members, with the goal of addressing overcrowding at Reading High School while expanding career-focused opportunities. “One silver lining of the pandemic may have been the funding, but it was also about the everlasting impact that this building and the programs that we will have,” Gehris said.
Amanda Helm, introduced as the Associate Principal for Innovation, said the focus of the academy will remain on student growth and opportunity.
“Every student who walks through these doors will be known,” Helm said. “They’ll be challenged, and they’ll be supported as they discover who they are, what they’re capable of, and where they want to go next.”
Following the ceremony, attendees participated in the official ribbon cutting before touring the new facility.
District officials described the Innovation Academy as a state-of-the-art learning space designed to prepare students for college, careers and beyond, while helping shape the future of the city of Reading.