District to form panel to study three buildings
No major updates have been made to the buildings since the mid-1990s.
By VIRGINIA ROSS
VINDICATOR CORRESPONDENT
GREENFORD -- Change is imminent at South Range School District, and school officials said they're looking for district residents to help them make a few decisions.
After touring Greenford Middle School recently, the board of education agreed to look into a proposal to renovate its buildings and, if necessary, construct new facilities.
The district is hoping to establish a committee made up of school officials and residents in time for the board's public meeting next month.
"Our buildings, for as old as they are, have been very well maintained," schools Superintendent Dennis Dunham explained. "But we need to upgrade. ... They do not meet current standards. There are things we need to look at as a community and consider seriously."
Dunham recently shared the results of an Ohio School Facilities Commission assessment completed on the district's three buildings earlier this year. According to that report, all of the buildings need significant work.
Dunham said for the most part, the classrooms are too small, the halls are too narrow and the facilities are not adequately accessible to people with disabilities. He said the three buildings were evaluated as borderline for renovation or reconstruction, meaning the benefits and cost of renovating the buildings are comparable to replacing them.
How long it's been
There have been no major updates to the buildings since the mid-1990s, he noted. Some of the facilities date back to the 1920s.
Additionally, OSFC has projected that South Range's enrollment could easily increase by an additional 200 students in the next 10 years.
"We have two major factors here that the state looks at," he said. "One is projected enrollment. We're barely squeezing everyone in now. We need more room; there's no question. And the other is the state of our buildings."
He said South Range will be due to receive OSFC funding in 2009 or 2010. At its current standing, the district likely would receive 45 percent of the cost of any renovation or construction replacement project from the state, with the remaining 55 percent to come from district residents.
Using OSFC funds requires a school district to follow OSFC standards, but it's an option several area school district have explored. Dunham said assistance might also be available through the Expedited Local Partnership program, which allows schools to start a building project before they are technically up for funding from the state. The district pays the initial cost of the project and then is reimbursed by the state.
Through the ELP program, construction could begin once the district is able to kick in a portion of the money.
Dunham explained the OSFC assessment is a starting point. He said before South Range can submit a master plan to the state, which is required, the district needs to look at possible building configurations and locations.
"We need to get a lot of feedback to find out what the residents of South Range want for their school," he said.
Timing
Treasurer Jim Phillips said now is a good time for South Range to seriously consider making the changes. He said the district became "debt free" as of Aug. 15, having paid off the last of its school improvement bonds from a 1992 bond issue. As a result, district residents will be paying 4.2 mills less on their property taxes starting in January. Paying the bonds off before their 2018 expiration saved about $1.25 million in interest.
Phillips said even if the district were to establish a levy to help pay its share of a renovation or building project, residents would still have a full year of not having to worry about the extra expense.
"We could look at going to our residents and asking them to put [the mills] back into the district to help pay for the upgrade," he said.
"We've done well for our students with what we've had. But as a parent, I can say it would be good to do more," he added. "If we've done this well with what we've had, just think how much more we could do."