HELP US SHAPE THE FUTURE OF OUR SCHOOL BUILDINGS
Under the direction of a community-led Facilities Task Force, Stow Munroe Falls City Schools has completed the assessment phase of the Master Facilities Planning process. This work revealed that although our staff has done an incredible job with maintaining our schools, many of our building systems are nearing or well beyond their lifespan. In addition, our classroom space does not reflect what students will encounter in today's colleges and job market.
Since March, the district and Facilities Task Force have led a discussion on options for a Master Facilities Plan. As this important work continues, please know that any result from these efforts will be the community’s plan. The Task Force and residents will have the opportunity to review and give feedback on multiple plans before any recommendations are made to the board of education.
BACKGROUND:
In Stow-Munroe Falls Schools, maintaining excellence extends to more than the great job that we do in the classroom each day. It also involves how we operate, such as, caring for our aging facilities.
The school district has embarked on a multi-step process to review the current state of all of our buildings. The goal of this plan is to determine if our school buildings are up to standards when it comes to student learning and safety, and to also make sure we are spending taxpayer dollars wisely when it comes to maintaining our aging buildings.
PHASE ONE: ASSESSMENT
During the summer of 2019, the district worked with construction and school facilities experts to analyze the efficiency of the school buildings – both from a financial and educational standpoint. This is a free service provided by the state of Ohio as part of the Ohio Facilities Construction Commission (OFCC). Last week, the results of the assessment were presented at the board of education meeting.
The goal of the assessment was to determine if our facilities are up to standards when it comes to student learning and safety, and to also make sure the district is spending taxpayer dollars wisely when it comes to maintenance. We are also eager to look into this because the state of Ohio, through its building assistance program, is willing to reimburse 24% of the cost to upgrade our schools.
Despite the hard work of our maintenance staff, the assessment revealed that many of our building systems are nearing or well beyond their lifespan. In addition, our classroom space does not reflect what students will encounter in today’s colleges and job market. That makes sense when you consider the fact that our buildings range from 30 to 80 years old and were not built with today’s learning needs in mind.
PHASE 2: COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT - “OUR COMMUNITY. OUR FUTURE.”
Now that the assessment has been completed, the next steps include involving the community on what, if anything, should be done to address any facility needs through a Master Facilities Plan.
We have created a community and staff-led Facilities Task Force that will work with construction experts, architects and school officials to help create a Master Facilities Plan. The school district will also hold multiple community meetings to gather feedback. Our Director of Operations will be facilitating the process for the district.
When the Master Facilities Plan is complete, the board of education will decide on next steps and whether or not to move forward with an action plan.
Please know we are not moving forward with any preconceived notions about what will happen with any buildings. All options and suggestions regarding the school buildings will be entirely vetted and guided by the community.
We encourage all residents to join in the conversation. For the most up-to-date information on Master Facilities Plan, please visit this website and feel free to contact the Director of Operations at 330-689-5413 with any questions.
IMPORTANT DOCUMENTS
Committee Members
BUILDING ASSESSMENT SUMMARIES
ECHO HILLS ELEMENTARY BUILDING ASSESSMENT SUMMARY 2019 UPDATE
FISHCREEK ELEMENTARY BUILDING ASSESSMENT SUMMARY 2019 UPDATE
HIGHLAND ELEMENTARY BUILDING ASSESSMENT SUMMARY 2019 UPDATE
INDIAN TRAIL ELEMENTARY BUILDING ASSESSMENT SUMMARY 2019 UPDATE
KIMPTON MIDDLE SCHOOL BUILDING ASSESSMENT SUMMARY 2019 UPDATE
LAKEVIEW INTERMEDIATE SCHOOL BUILDING ASSESSMENT SUMMARY 2019 UPDATE
RIVERVIEW ELEMENTARY SCHOOL BUILDING ASSESSMENT SUMMARY 2019 UPDATE
STOW-MUNROE FALLS HIGH SCHOOL BUILDING ASSESSMENT SUMMARY 2019 UPDATE
WOODLAND ELEMENTARY SCHOOL BUILDING ASSESSMENT SUMMARY 2019 UPDATE
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS ABOUT THE FACILITIES PLANNING PROCESS
WHAT IS THE PURPOSE OF DEVELOPING A MASTER FACILITIES PLAN?
Our schools are a great source of pride in the community. In order to protect our residents’ investment in our schools, from time to time, we analyze the way we do business to ensure we deliver on the quality and efficiency our community expects, including our school buildings.
Do our schools offer "safe, warm and dry" learning environments?
Do our buildings support a modern education that will best prepare them for college and the job market?
Does it make sense to invest taxpayer dollars into buildings that are, on average, 63 years old?
These are only a few of the wide-ranging questions being considered as the plans for its present and future facility needs. When the Master Facilities Plan is complete, the board of education will decide on next steps and whether or not to move forward with an action plan.
Please know that we do not have any preconceived notions about what will happen with any buildings. All options and suggestions regarding the school buildings will be entirely vetted and guided by the community.
WHY NOW?
During the summer of 2019, the district worked with construction and school facilities experts to analyze the efficiency of the school buildings – both from a financial and educational standpoint. This is a free service provided by the state of Ohio as part of the Ohio Facilities Construction Commission (OFCC).
The goal of the assessment was to determine if our facilities are up to standards when it comes to student learning and safety, and to also make sure the district is spending taxpayer dollars wisely when it comes to maintenance. We are also eager to look into this because the state of Ohio, through its building assistance program, is willing to reimburse 24% of the cost to upgrade our schools.
Despite the hard work of our maintenance staff, the assessment revealed that many of our building systems are nearing or well beyond their lifespan. In addition, our classroom space does not reflect what students will encounter in today’s colleges and job market. That makes sense when you consider the fact that our buildings range from 30 to 80 years old and were not built with today’s learning needs in mind.
WHAT IS THE OHIO FACILITIES CONSTRUCTION COMMISSION?
The Ohio Facilities Construction Commission (OFCC) is responsible for guiding capital projects for state agencies, state-supported universities and community colleges. Importantly, for our purposes, the OFCC also serves as Ohio’s comprehensive K-12 school construction and renovation program. By working with OFCC, our district has access to no-cost to us facilities assessments, enrollment projections and master plan options/cost estimates. It is also through the OFCC that districts eligible for state funding can obtain those funds.
WHAT’S THE 2/3RD’S RULE?
The OFCC’s measure for recommending either renovation or new construction on a school facilities project. When a renovation of a building exceeds ⅔ the cost to be replaced, the OFCC recommends replacement. The district average for the cost to renovate vs. rebuilding is 76%, with only the high school being rated as under ⅔ (55%).
WHO SERVES ON THE FACILITIES PLANNING COMMITTEE?
The volunteers that have agreed to serve on the committee are parents, staff members, community members, and local government officials - a robust cross section of stakeholders that will provide input and feedback throughout a 12-18 month process.
WHAT ARE THE GOALS OF THE COMMITTEE?
The committee will work with school administrators and the OFCC to complete a final master plan by April 2022. The time will be spent studying and examining all the variables that go into preparing a plan; from looking at OFCC policies, site studies, staff and community surveys and the identification of outside partners, along with looking at different master plan options both within the committee and sharing them with the community. The finalization of the master plan should take place in the weeks leading up to April 2022.
WHAT’S THE TIMELINE FOR CREATING A FACILITIES MASTER PLAN?
We are just now beginning the community engagement & options phase. The goal is to have the final master plan tentatively completed by April 2022.
HOW IS THE DISTRICT ENROLLMENT TRENDING?
District enrollment has been steady, with projections showing a slight increase in the coming years. This is different from the majority of school districts in Ohio, which are experiencing a decline in enrollment.
HAS A PLAN BEEN DEVELOPED?
No. No decisions have been made when it comes to our facilities. This will be an effort that involves the community and includes a lot of research and analysis. Many factors go into making a decision of this magnitude and we will be working with the community along the way to determine what is best for our schools and taxpayers.
WILL RESIDENTS BEYOND THE COMMITTEE HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO PROVIDE FEEDBACK?
Yes. There will be various opportunities for feedback on the facilities plan. We will be conducting community surveys and there will be opportunities for the community as a whole to provide feedback as the plan begins to formulate. The master plan will not be finalized without your input.
WHAT ABOUT THE PERMANENT IMPROVEMENT LEVY COVERING THE COST FOR UPKEEP OF OUR SCHOOLS?
The district is extremely grateful to have $2 million designated annually as a revenue source for maintaining our facilities. However, with major repairs being needed every year on our aging buildings, it is becoming less efficient and more expensive to use these precious resources to patch and repair facilities beyond their lifespan. The district is concerned that as the cost of maintenance grows, it may require diverting funds from the operating budget to make repairs to our schools.