Elyria Schools are listening to the residents

When Elyria City Schools board members announced a solution to return to the original plan to build five brand-new buildings instead of three, a clear message was sent that they do listen to their community. Because of rising labor costs, the school district had publicized a new plan to build three schools instead of the five.

Residents, particularly those who live on the south side of Elyria, were frustrated with the board’s decision and decided to exercise their rights and protest the change.

The master plan calls for rebuilding Elyria’s elementary and middle schools and athletic complex in a nearly $140 million construction plan.

The district is working with architectural firm Architectural Vision Group in Westlake and AECOM/AGS, Cleveland to build five new schools: two K-4 elementary schools, two K-8 campuses, and one PK-8 campus. A new multisport complex also will be built in two phases at the current site of Ely Stadium.

Ward 5 Councilman Marcus Madison led a meeting March 21 with residents and encouraged them to take action.

Madison encouraged them to sign petitions, attend local school board and city council meetings and join local groups to share their thoughts with one another.

As for petitions, Madison said more than 650 people signed the petitions, but the goal was to secure more than 1,000 and present them to school board members.

Madison and his supporters wanted to send a powerful message that when they mobilize, they can make a difference.

And the school board heard them.

In November 2016, Elyria voters approved the district’s master plan which included the five schools.

But on April 11, board members revealed the new plan, which returned to the original five schools, but with modifications.

Amy Higgins, director of communications and marketing for Elyria City Schools, said the new plan will not be put into action until it is discussed and approved by the Ohio Facilities Construction Commission during a mid-May meeting with the school board.

Higgins said school board members have worked hard with AECOM, a Cleveland construction company and the Facilities Construction Commission, to find ways to provide the city the five schools.

In his column at right, Elyria Schools Superintendent Thomas Jama expressed the board, administrators and the district’s design team took those words from the community to heart.

Jama said the team went back to the drawing board to discuss how to stick with the five-school plan while sacrificing certain critical elements.

He said it appears the team is on track for the five-school plan after much discussion and new design concepts.

During the April 11 meeting, School Board Member Greg Elek shared the updates with guests about the new plan that brings the district on budget for all schools.

Elek said the team has looked at reducing square footage of the buildings, reconfiguring space, addressing programming and accelerating the construction time line.

In the plan, crews will build all the schools simultaneously.

Another cost-saver is the district buying in bulk.

This will save money on materials, and the trade vendors will get better prices because they will do more of the work.

The goal is to have schools as originally planned.

But, the schools aren’t going to be the same buildings the board and the other entities previously discussed.

Jama added the team is looking at reallocating Local Funded Initiative funds to go into the project.

Local Funded Initiative funds were added to the district’s budget for additional space and services after passing the school’s bond issue in November 2016.

Elek said the district reached out to the city of Elyria for assistance with building permits and sought additional funding from the Facilities Construction Commission.

And he said both were receptive to helping.

Board members are waiting for approval from the Facilities Construction Commission, which should take four to six weeks, before they can move forward and get information to contractors.

Meanwhile, the architects are in the process of redrawing the plans.

Elyria Schools leaders say the buildings in the new plan are going to be beautiful and educational for teachers and students.

That’s just what the residents want; but in five brand new buildings.