Austintown district considers closing Davis Elementary

AUSTINTOWN — Big changes are in the works for Austintown’s five elementary schools, with the possible closing of Davis Elementary being the first item on the agenda.

Superintendent Doug Heuer wrote a letter to school board members this week asking them to consider closing Davis Elementary on Maple Avenue in the northeast part of the township at the end of this school year.

At the same time, Heuer said it is likely the district will qualify for a dollar-for-dollar match from the Ohio School Facilities Commission in 2009 that could lead to the replacement of the district’s four other kindergarten-through-grade-three elementary buildings with two new ones.

The main reason for closing Davis is that the elementary schools are less than 60 percent full, with Davis having the smallest enrollment and needing the most expensive repairs within the next couple of years, Heuer said.

Heuer cited the state audit released last spring, which showed the five elementaries to be at less than 60 percent capacity.

The audit said the elementaries would be at capacities of between 52 percent and 59 percent during the 2007-2008 school year after fourth-graders were moved out of the elementaries and into Frank Ohl Middle School.

For the complete story, see Saturday’s Vindicator and Vindy.com.