Ontario, Sandusky Digital Academy students in transition

SANDUSKY — For about two years, two groups of Sandusky Schools students will temporarily have new homes.Beginning this school year, Ontario Elementary students will have classes at the former Adams Junior High School at 318 Columbus Ave.Meanwhile, Sandusky Digital Academy students will move their classes to the former Jackson Junior High School at 314 W. Madison St. They vacated Adams Junior High to make room for Ontario students.Both groups will remain in their temporary locations during the construction of Ontario Primary, a new school for first and second graders set to be finished Aug. 2019 on Ontario Elementary's original site.During their short stay, Ontario Elementary students living more than a half mile from Adams Junior High will have bus transportation, Sandusky Schools stated in a press release. All current Ontario faculty and staff will also move to the Adams building and remain there with students. Ontario Elementary traditions will continue, principal Timothy Kozak said, but students will inhabit "Ontario Village" with hallways named after roads, a reward system using "Streaky Bucks" and more in their temporary home."We really want to give a feeling of a good elementary community," Kozak said on "Between the Lines," the Register's public affairs program.Construction of Hayes Intermediate School will coincide with Ontario Primary's construction and open Aug. 2019. After that, the new Hancock Elementary should be finished by 2020 for district preschool and kindergarten students. It will be built on its original site.The district's "Building Better Dreams" plan, approved by district voters last fall, totals $70 million and primarily covers construction activities for the new Ontario, Hayes Intermediate and Hancock buildings as well as renovations at Sandusky High School.Important upcoming dates• District-wide open houses will occur Tuesday, Aug. 29: preschool through sixth grade students can attend 5 p.m. to 6 p.m. at their schools, while seventh grade through 12th grade students can attend from 6:30 p.m.to 7:30 p.m. at their schools.• Sandusky Schools students' first day of classes is Aug. 30.Construction project progress• Keep up with the district's construction project on its website at www.scs-k12.net under the tab labeled "School Facilities/Building Better Dreams"• For questions, contact superintendent Eugene Sanders at 419-984-1000 and askdrsanders@scs-k12.net or treasurer Gina Deppert at 419-984-1005 and gdeppert@scs-k12.net Reach reporter Caitlin Nearhood at nearhood@sanduskyregister.com, follow her on Twitter @CaitlinNearhood and on Facebook www.facebook.com/CaitliNearhoodBeginning this fall, Ontario Elementary students will attend Adams Junior High School for two years during Ontario Primary's construction.Beginning this fall, Sandusky Digital Academy students will have classes at the former Jackson Junior High School for two years during a transition period. They will use this entrance to access the building.Beginning this fall, Sandusky Digital Academy students will have classes at the former Jackson Junior High School for two years during a transition period. They will use this entrance to access the building.