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South Euclid-Lyndhurst board backs Brush High School reconfiguration, adds roughly 5,300 sq ft for instruction
Summary
The board heard a staff-led plan to reassign rooms at Brush High School so wrestling, art, STEM and e-sports can be better accommodated; administration said the changes will add about 5,300 sq ft of instructional space and minimize disruption while meeting OFCC and NFHS guidance.
The South Euclid-Lyndhurst City Board of Education on April 28 reviewed and accepted a recommended reconfiguration for Brush High School that administration said will better align instructional spaces for arts, athletics and STEM programs.
Superintendent (speaking during the presentation) said the district paused an earlier idea to place wrestling on the building's third floor after architectural and engineering reviews raised safety, layout and cost concerns. "We have to do our taxpayers' due diligence and we're going to look at other options," the Superintendent said, adding the goal is to "be good stewards of tax dollars" while preserving arts instruction and complying with Title IX considerations.
Lee Fuller, who led the facilities review, said consultants from Amresco and internal staff evaluated multiple options using OFCC (Ohio Facilities Construction Commission) and NFHS (National Federation of State High School Associations) guidance. Fuller said third-floor space would have fallen "below the recommended minimum" for wrestling practice and competition; the administration therefore recommended placing wrestling in reconfigured art-wing rooms that provide the necessary clearances for two 38-by-38-foot mats and access to existing bathrooms, reducing plumbing costs.
The recommended plan reallocates several rooms: ceramics and drawing will move into larger spaces (presentation cited a +668 sq ft change for ceramics and a roughly +640 sq ft change for drawing), STEM/robotics will shift into alternate lab-style rooms, e-sports will relocate to the third floor in comparable square footage, and the AV loft will be repurposed for instruction. Fuller said the net instructional-area gain across the campus is about 5,300 square feet.
Administrators emphasized collaboration with affected staff. Fuller and the Superintendent said they walked spaces with art teachers (Ms. Lewis, Ms. Curry and Ms. Quinlan), an Amresco representative and in-house staff (including Mark Bellet), and adjusted the plan to preserve the quality of art instruction.
Board members praised the transparency. One member asked whether added art space would allow larger class sizes; staff said art courses are currently full and added capacity could increase enrollment.
Next steps listed by administration include finalizing the transition plan with staff, engaging wrestling, art and STEM teams, developing a detailed timeline, and minimizing instructional disruption during the moves. The presentation materials reference OFCC and NFHS guidelines and the district's master facility plan; the board did not take a formal, separate vote on the detailed reconfiguration at this meeting beyond approving routine construction and business agenda items.
