Superintendent outlines $115 million Bexley City Schools facilities plan, proposes new middle school and hybrid levy

The superintendent of Bexley City Schools presented a recommended, community-driven facilities package that would cost approximately $115,000,000 and is likely to be considered by the Board of Education at its March 11 meeting. The proposal centers on building a standalone middle school, major capital repairs, turfing two elementary sites and stadium improvements, funded in part by a hybrid levy the district is currently studying.

The recommendation grew from a multi-stage public process that included community, building, facilities and finance meetings, the superintendent said. The district’s combined facilities and finance council (FACC) produced the recommendation now before the board. The superintendent described district school buildings as aging—on average about 84 years old—and not designed for modern collaborative STEM instruction, citing crowded classrooms, teachers on carts and classrooms without natural light as drivers for the plan.

The new middle school is the largest component, about 71% of the package, and the administration proposes siting it on the existing Cassingham softball field to maximize remaining green space and reduce disruption to current classroom instruction. The superintendent said consultants advised against building up on the existing middle-school structure and that renovation while occupied (so-called "pods" or phased-in renovation) would take considerably longer—five to six years—compared with roughly two years to build a new facility.

Capital projects described as "above ceilings, below floors, behind walls" would cover HVAC, roofing, windows and safety systems and are estimated to make up 21% of the package. The superintendent also proposed stadium upgrades to address structural and accessibility needs (including locker-room space for female athletes) and noted the district has acquired property on Cassady Avenue to expand practice and support space while retaining the main varsity field and graduation venue.

The plan calls for turf installation at Maryland and Montrose elementary sites to address inequitable access in wet conditions and to provide practice and performance space for roughly 770 student athletes and the marching band. The superintendent framed turf as an equity and access issue: on muddy days some students currently have only hard-surface play areas while other sites have turf.

Treasurer Kyle Smith, in a recorded presentation introduced at the meeting, said no final funding decision had been made but described one funding scenario the FACC recommended: a 2‑mill property tax levy combined with a 0.5% income tax, which the committee estimates would generate about $115,000,000. Smith provided examples to illustrate household impact: "for every $100,000 in modified adjusted gross income, a half a percent income tax would equal about $500 per year," and "for every $100,000 in home market value, a 2 mill property tax would equal about $70 per year." He also noted the district’s current 2.05‑mill bond expires in 2027, which would offset part of the property-tax burden.

The superintendent said the district would not begin a costly design process unless voters approved funding; design is estimated at roughly 9% of overall project cost (about $10,000,000 on a $115 million project). If approved in a November ballot, the administration’s timeline calls for securing an architect and construction manager the following summer, a one‑year design process with community focus groups, bidding and then breaking ground in 2028 with a targeted grand opening in 2030.

The board has not yet voted on the recommendation; the superintendent emphasized the numbers are preliminary and invited the public to review materials on the district website and participate in future focus groups if the board advances the proposal. The superintendent closed by thanking staff, community partners and volunteers for their role in the process.