GIRARD — The Girard Board of Education once again will look at having a performing arts center added to the high school complex off Shannon Road, but school officials said they need to see what costs are involved and what funds are available.

The project has been discussed in recent years, but because of the coronavirus pandemic that began in 2020, the project has been put on hold with officials saying limited state funding is available.

“We plan this month to get discussions started again on the Girard Performing Arts Center. We first need to get the project out for bids to see what costs will be involved and what funding we can get,” said board president Mark Zuppo, who said construction costs have gone up because of supply-chain issues.

Zuppo said he is unsure when groundbreaking will take place and revisions may need to be made to the project plans, which include a 1,000-seat performing arts auditorium to host school programs and graduations.

The auditorium would be constructed on the west side of the high school. The board previously hired Axiom Architects LLC of Youngstown at $600,000 for the design and planning of the addition.

School officials said the complex doesn’t have enough room to house all the students at once in the cafetorium, which prompted them to consider building an auditorium. The cafetorium has a stage area, which is used for plays and musical performances. Graduations and other large functions have been moved to the gymnasium.

School Superintendent Bryan O’Hara said he and Treasurer Mark Bello will review what projects need to be done this year.

Zuppo said there also is a plan to move the board of education offices to the high school. The board offices are now on the second floor of the city municipal building.

“That will be a big part of the project,” O’Hara said.

He said being on the school campus and closer to the district’s schools would be more ideal.

In other action, the board:

• Named Zuppo as president and Diane Alejars as vice president;

• Swore in new board member Joseph Datchuk and re-elected board member Sue Ellen Harris Davis;

• Approved committee appointments: Vince Ragozine, athletics/ activities and curriculum; Alejars, facilities; Zuppo, labor relations and legislative liaison; Datchuk, safety and recognition; and Harris-Davis, representative to Trumbull Career and Technical Center;

• Approved Dr. Paul Rich of the Western Reserve Health Education Inc. as school physician for one year at $4,000;

• Set meetings for 4:30 p.m. the fourth Thursday of the month at the high school media center. This month was changed to Jan. 25.