Facility Planning Committee unveils plan to keep K–5 structure, reduce elementary schools and renovate secondary campuses

Facility Planning Committee representative said the committee recommends maintaining the district's K–5 structure, consolidating six elementary schools to four, retaining Twin Oak, building three new elementary schools and undertaking major renovations to the middle school and high school to modernize classrooms, update technology, improve accessibility and enhance safety and efficiency.

"Big decisions. Bold steps. A brighter future for our schools," the Facility Planning Committee representative said, summarizing the committee's seven meetings, multiple school tours and research that led to the recommendations. The representative said the Ohio Facilities Construction Commission (OFCC) will be an essential partner and that the project is estimated at $50,000,000 with OFCC expected to contribute about 36% of approved project costs.

The committee described five drivers for change: aging building conditions; greater demand for intervention and special services; evolving teaching styles; operational efficiency and cost effectiveness; and growing safety concerns. The representative said those factors showed the district needs a facilities plan "that meets the needs of today and the demands of tomorrow." The committee recommended streamlining elementary configuration while modernizing secondary campuses.

Details provided by the representative included: keeping the K–5 grade structure; reducing elementary campuses from six to four; retaining the existing Twin Oak elementary; constructing three new elementary schools; and major renovations to the middle and high schools. The transcript did not specify whether the approximate enrollment figure mentioned ("approximately 450 students") referred to capacity per new elementary school or to another measure.

The representative identified the Ohio Facilities Construction Commission as a partner with experience working with Ohio school districts and said the OFCC "has helped more than 415 school districts across Ohio," a figure provided in the presentation. The committee said OFCC participation would bring planning resources and financial support; the presentation estimated a $50,000,000 investment in the district's facilities and stated OFCC would contribute roughly 36% of approved project costs. The transcript did not specify whether the $50,000,000 figure referred to total project cost or to the OFCC share.

Committee members flagged several implementation challenges in the presentation: securing community buy-in, navigating financial constraints, preserving district identity and providing clear, consistent public communications. To gather community feedback, the committee announced a public forum on Wednesday, April 16 at 7 p.m. in the high school auditorium and said the forum will present the plan, answer questions and solicit community input.

The presentation described these recommendations as the Facility Planning Committee's decisions after seven in-depth meetings, tours and research; the transcript does not indicate that the school board formally approved the plan or that financing has been secured. The representative said the committee has shared progress through district newsletters, board presentations and website updates and invited public participation at the April 16 forum.

Less critical details: the presentation emphasized modernizing technology and improving accessibility and safety across middle and high school campuses and listed public communication and transparency among next steps. No formal motions or votes were recorded in the transcript.