Cuyahoga Falls board outlines options to close or repurpose an elementary school amid $4 million shortfall

Cuyahoga Falls City Schools Board of Education members on Sept. 3 heard a detailed presentation on plans to close or repurpose an elementary school and how that action could help meet a projected $4 million budget reduction over three years.

Superintendent Dr. Salako told the board and gathered parents and staff at Price Elementary that the district is in “fiscal caution” with the state and must identify large-scale savings, not just smaller spending cuts. “In the next 3 years, we had to cut $4,000,000,” Dr. Salako said during her presentation, which laid out enrollment declines, building conditions and transportation implications.

The presentation summarized why the district is considering closing or repurposing a building: a roughly 24% loss of students since 2015 (about 1,000 students), a state facilities assessment showing some older elementary buildings would qualify for replacement rather than renovation, and a facilities-capacity analysis that examined room counts, playgrounds and one-story/ADA-access needs for preschool and special programs.

Board context and timeline Dr. Salako said the district’s enrollment consultant projects an additional decline of about 350 students over the next 10 years. The timeline discussed at the meeting calls for the board to make a final decision by November, though she and Board President Alicia Coco told the audience the board might reach a decision sooner. Board members agreed to place the issue on the agenda for the regular board meeting next Wednesday for discussion; no closure decision was made at this meeting.

Which schools are under consideration Dr. Salako described the process used to narrow options: cost-savings estimates, building age and condition, site acreage for potential future school sites, capacity to absorb displaced students at other buildings, and special-program locations. The presentation singled out Price and Preston as sites the administration is “exploring” for repurposing or closure, and noted the district also has been considering Shawnee (spelled in the presentation as Shanae) because it currently houses the preschool program, an alternative learning center and the Black Tiger Family Center. Dr. Salako said the Shawnee/Shanae building is heavily used and “not in great condition,” and that selling that property could generate revenue to offset deficits.

Redistricting, transportation and ripple effects Dr. Salako and the district transportation supervisor ran draft boundary scenarios showing how students would be reassigned if Price or Preston closed. The superintendent warned of a “bumping” or ripple effect — students from the closed school would be reassigned to nearby schools, potentially displacing some students who would then need to be relocated again. The district examined bus routes, driver availability and ride times; Dr. Salako said school transportation is constrained by driver availability, fleet size and geographic factors such as railroad tracks and major thoroughfares.

Staffing, savings and class-size goals The district expects much of the savings to come from staffing reductions across positions that are duplicated when a building closes — principals, secretaries, nurses and custodial staff — but said it hopes to rely heavily on attrition to avoid layoffs. Dr. Salako described class-size goals the district would seek to maintain after consolidation: roughly 22 students in early grades, increasing toward 24–25 by upper elementary grades. She explicitly rejected social-media claims that elementary classes would swell to 60 students: “There will never be 60 students in an elementary class,” she said.

Public comments A round of public comment at Price produced several statements emphasizing student safety, school culture and the role of staff: - Kyle Carney, a Price parent, praised the school’s drop-off and pick-up procedures and said safety and his child’s long-term preparation are his top concerns: “The pickup and drop off procedure here is such a smooth thing,” Carney said. - Doug Kitts, a parent and former Price student, urged the board not to split up staff teams that support students with disabilities: “When you have a team that works like this, you can't split them up,” he said, describing his son’s progress from resource services into full-time general education as a result of the staff’s efforts. - Nicole Martucci, a parent, recounted how Price staff supported her family during personal hardship and praised Price Principal Wyckoff by name: “You are not going to find another principal as wonderful as Ms. Wyckoff,” Martucci said. - Other parents described Price’s efficient car line and neighborhood role, and one speaker asked how vouchers, open enrollment and state funding changes have affected district revenue.

Next steps and board comments Board President Alicia Coco and other board members reiterated that the decision is difficult and that the board does not take it lightly. The board committed to placing the topic on the agenda next Wednesday for discussion and reaffirmed the plan to reach a decision by November; no formal motion to close or repurpose any school was made at this meeting. After the meeting, the board scheduled a tour of Price Elementary.

What the presentation did not decide No closure motion or vote occurred at the Sept. 3 meeting. Specific boundary assignments, final estimates of displaced students, the exact school chosen (if any) for closure or repurposing, and any staff reductions remain to be finalized in later board action.

Community resources and evidence Dr. Salako said that the full presentation, facility assessments and capacity study are available on the district website under the Board of Education tab. The superintendent and board encouraged families with questions to contact district staff by email or phone and to attend upcoming board meetings for further public discussion.