The Morning Journal (Lorain, OH)
Officials dedicate elementary school
Leaders call solar-powered $17.8M building 'eco friendly'
Oberlin City Schools formally dedicated the new eco friendly Oberlin Elementary School in a ribbon cutting ceremony on Sept. 12.
The new $17.8 million 62,000 square foot state of the art pre-kindergarten to grade five building is powered 80 percent by solar power.
The building comes fit with air conditioning, a fully equipped STEAM (science, technology, engineering, arts, mathematics), an expanded gymnasium, and flexibility in design to meet the changing needs of the district in the years to come.
The parking lot also has four electric vehicle charging stations, making it easier for people to go green and live sustainably.
Oberlin City Schools Superintendent Dr. David Hall, joined by the Oberlin City Schools Board of Education, thanked their community partners in seeing the effort come to fruition.
“When I think of Oberlin I think of community,” Hall said.
Hall described the process that began nearly 10 years ago when the district embarked on a journey to redesign their buildings to meet the needs of the 21st century under the vision of former Superintendent John Schroth and former Oberlin City Schools Board President Barry Richards, forming a facilities team consisting of community leaders, parents and administrators to make this vision a reality.
“When I was hired six years ago I immediately continued the hard work toward developing new facilities,” Hall noted.
Organizing school visits to other districts, meeting with the facilities committees, researching innovative school design models and sustainability along with 21st century teaching methods, Hall stressed each of these stages were critical in moving the district forward.
Ohio State Rep. Joe Miller (D-Amherst), a former high school social studies teacher, is an advocate for public education and said it the community’s strong efforts that made it happen and was a reflection on Oberlin’s historic commitment to inclusion and diversity.
“This building had to come about because of you and only you. And it harkens back to about 185 years ago, when the state was unwilling to help fulfill a dream of creating a one building, one school house location for all children to learn,” Miller said.
“It didn’t matter whether they’re black or white, brown, Christian, Jewish, it didn’t matter Oberlin said we will educate all. Truly
public education at its best. And Oberlin pioneered that without the state’s help. You did it anyway.”
Jason Williams, president of the Oberlin City Schools Board of Education said the project was a great example of collaboration at work and their strong partnerships with the Oberlin community and state and local governments.
“This is a prime example of what we can accomplish together. Not by working in silos but working in unison. No one person or institution has the answer, but the unity of the whole is needed for success,” Williams said.
Addressing students in attendance, head architect, Brad Gellert, senior project manager with ThenDesign Architecture made it clear the building was designed the needs of students present and future in mind.
“Members of your school
board, administration, and facilities Committee have been working for 10 years to get this community asset built. They understood that for change to happen it takes a long term commitment. It’s not like writing a book report, it’s a 10 year effort,” Gellert said.
“This community stuck with it and the result, you will see, certainly when you walk through the building. The district and community had a goal in mind of creating a building that met current needs of pre-K to five students, but also future student needs by building a building that could be reconfigured due to changing conditions.”
Noting U.S. President Joe Biden’s commitment to 50 percent renewable energy by 2050, Gellert said Oberlin Elementary School will be at 85 percent solar power by 2022 and is another example of Oberlin being
ahead of the curve and the tools available to monitor sustainable energy can be used a teaching tool.
“When you work on collaborative projects in your classroom and with your IP program and wonder why you cannot just do the project by yourself, think about the people who came together to work on this project, from your school district, the city grantees, the design construction team of ThenDesign and Greenspace (Construction).
“And remember to create positive change the world we must work collaborative collaboratively with others. We’re proud to be part of that collaboration. Please enjoy the building for many years to come,” Gellert said.
The district also sent a special thanks to the Oberlin College Green Edge Fund for supporting the environmental dashboard at the new school.