Edison board votes to construct new buildings

BERLIN HEIGHTS — Edison Schools' future learning facilities have been chosen. In a 5-0 vote, district board members decided to construct a new building for students in preschool through 5th grade in Berlin Heights and will add a building for grades 6-8 onto the existing Edison High School building in Milan. Edison's facilities project process Edison's facilities discussions existed before the pandemic began, as district officials began looking into the conditions of its three buildings in fall 2019. In February 2020, the school district and architectural firm GPD Group of Akron hosted the first meeting for taxpayers. At that meeting, GPD officials went over a facilities presentation with the problems facing current buildings and possible designs. Then they allowed residents to give feedback and ask questions. After interviewing several architectural firms, Edison Schools hired GPD group to help them with the process. School officials are continuing facilities discussions for a few reasons. For instance, student enrollment has been steady in recent years and the way students are being taught in classrooms is changing. Two of Edison's buildings — the elementary and middle schools — are also becoming too old to renovate by state standards. For instance, portions of Edison elementary and middle schools were built in the 1800s, and each have had numerous additions. Since the first meeting two years ago, school officials and the public toured elementary and middle schools in Amherst and Strongsville designed by GPD Group to get ideas of what kinds of features they'd like to possibly have at Edison Schools. The architectural firm has recommended four facilities options for Edison Schools: • Build a completely new school for kindergarten through high school students • Construct a new building for kindergarten through eighth-grade students and renovate Edison High School • Build separate new elementary and middle schools and renovate Edison High School • Separately construct new Edison elementary, middle and high schools The community can suggest other options, GPD Group officials said. In recent weeks, Edison Schools asked stakeholders to give feedback on their preferences through an online survey. Officials said the survey will help with "smart decision-making." "We're having important discussions about the future of our schools and our facilities, and everyone has a stake in this process," Roth said about the survey. "We want to be sure that everyone in the community has a chance to tell us what they think." Since the Nexus pipeline project has changed how much it will pay Edison Schools, the Ohio Facilities Construction Commission, a state agency focused on facilities assessment and construction at public school districts around the state, will pay for 27% of the costs for Edison's facilities project, no matter the plans. This means that taxpayers will pick up 73% of the cost over several years of a bond issue. Board members will also soon decide on the details of a bond issue to fund the project on the November ballot, Roth said at the March 24 facilities forum at Edison Elementary. At that March meeting, many who attended expressed concerns about possibly moving Edison Middle School, now located in Berlin Heights, to Milan. Others believed having all students on one campus, like at the current Edison High School site as proposed, could provide additional benefits, like older students being able to mentor younger students more easily. Roth assured the community members that village officials from Berlin Heights and Milan are working with Edison Schools during the facilities project process. Anyone with questions can contact the school district by emailing newfacilities@edisonchargers.org. Reach reporter Caitlin Nearhood at nearhood@sanduskyregister.com and follow her on Twitter @CaitlinNearhood - Appreciate news from your community? Click here to subscribe to the Register.