Planning underway for August opening

Construction projects also in the works with summer completion dates eyed

Per Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine’s recommendation, Amherst Exempted Village Schools will plan over the summer months for a full August reopening.

Superintendent Steve Sayers said during a June 8 Board of Education meeting that in discussion with Lorain County Health Commissioner Dave Covell June 5, the district will wait until the end of June or early July to get additional guidance about reopening.

Until then, Sayers said the district will work to brainstorm different scenarios and ways about reopening.

Although school has remained closed, other construction projects for Amherst Schools are occurring, with many to be wrapped up during the summer.

The demolition of the old Powers Elementary School, 393 S. Lake St., is underway; it started in late April.

“We should be completed by the end of June,” Sayers said during the meeting.

He said plans for the site over the next year are relatively unknown, with crews clearing the rubble followed by planting seeds.

The district also will look for a way to preserve the old Powers Elementary sign on the property.

Sayers said he will have further discussions with the district’s buildings and grounds staff to move the sign into temporary storage.

“We want to make sure that sign is preserved,” he said.

The modulars at Walter G. Nord Middle School also were removed, making way for new parking.

“Next step will be for that parking area to be finished there where the modulars were located the last couple two, three years,” Sayers said.

A portion of that area also will be seeded.