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13th elementary school delayed a year
Nov 05, 2009
The slowdown in the housing market has prompted Dublin City Schools to delay the construction and opening of its 13th elementary school by a year. Superintendent David Axner told school board members during a meeting last week that because of delays with the Jerome Village development, the elementary school slated to serve the area also will be delayed.
"The bottom line is with the Jerome Village project it looks to be behind by about one year," Axner said.
District administration met with developers of the project, which is eventually expected to include 1,440 homes on the west side of the city. The district's 13th elementary school will serve the development, which is bordered by Jerome and Brock roads.
The district is currently in the design phase for the school, whose construction will be funded by the bond issue that voters passed last fall. Axner said the district will lose no money by pushing back the opening from August 2012 until the 2013-14 school year.
"The changes will not cost the district a penny," he told school board members.
In fact, delaying the hiring of staff for the new school for a year will save the district money, Axner said.
"We'll use the slowdown to be more prudent with tax dollars," he said.
The delays on the 13th elementary school could help the district when it comes to all-day kindergarten planned in the state budget, Axner said.
According to a news release from the district, the change in schedule should "allow the district the opportunity to evaluate the capital needs for all-day kindergarten. About 22 additional classrooms are expected to be needed to accommodate all-day kindergarten."
Other changes also were made to the capital improvements plan to recognize other savings.
Information from the district said the energy conservation initiative has been moved up to this summer, so the district will recognize energy savings faster than planned. According to the Ohio School Facilities Commission, the program "allows school districts to make energy efficiency improvements to their buildings and use the cost savings to pay for those improvements."
Other capital improvement projects remained on their current timelines; additions at Davis and Karrer middle schools are planned for the summer and should delay the need for a fifth middle school indefinitely, information from the district said.
Axner told school board members that the capital improvement plan for the district is fluid and will be continuously looked at for savings.
jnoblit@thisweeknews.com
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