POLAND — Poland Superintendent Craig Hockenberry wrapped up his small group meetings about school buildings prior to Christmas break, and in this new year he’s ready to move in the direction sought by Poland taxpayers.

It’s looking like people want three new and separated buildings, as opposed to one consolidated campus, he said.

“After 75 sessions, we took a pause to look at the information we collected,” Hockenberry said.

The school board could get a look by February and by March, could determine whether to place the question on a ballot this fall.

The small group sessions began after a discussion on what the future of Poland schools should look like.

A meeting at the start of last summer with board of education members, administrators, teachers’ union representatives and community members looked at 57 scenarios. Those were narrowed to three plan options labeled blue, white or red.

FIRST THREE PLANS

The red plan would be keeping McKinley, the middle school, adding four classrooms to Seminary High School, and reopening North Elementary.

The white plan, in essence, was to create one campus and build a new K-12 school on the Seminary High School property. It would put three schools under one roof.

The blue plan called for a new K-5 building at the North Elementary site, a new grades 6 to 8 middle school at the existing middle school site, and a new grades 9 to 12 school at the Seminary High School site. It would call for the abatement and demolition of McKinley.

“Both the white and blue plans would (each) cost around $100,000,000,” Hockenberry said.

Matt McKenzie, district director of operations, said the large dollar amount was based on cost per square foot per pupil, but it would be similar for either the one-campus building or the three new buildings.

“Both the white and blue options are a complete district build,” he said. “It replaces every building.”

But with the 75 small group sessions done, Hockenberry said based on what was heard, people favor three new and separated buildings as opposed to one campus.

He said the group sessions enabled him to move from 57 plans, to a dozen plans, to four plans, then two — and now a plan that can be tackled.

OPTION BLUE

“We felt the white plan would face defeat at the polls,” he said. “A lot of people liked the three new schools and those who like the white plan said they were all right with the three separate buildings. Now it is time to show the board of education what option blue would look like.”

Hockenberry said he will be meeting with Akron-based GPD Group architects soon, and the company will do a rendering on what three new schools could look like. He said GPD is offering to do the renderings — he said it has not been hired as project architect.

The plan now is to have something to show the board early in February.

“In February we will hold a retreat with the board,” McKenzie said. “They will have several months to decide which way they want to go.”

The board then could vote to put a bond levy on the November ballot.

“If the board decides to go with it, we will go into an aggressive mode to show the public what those new school buildings would look like,” Hockenberry said.

STATE ASSISTANCE

Hockenberry also noted that, by waiting until this year, the Poland Local School District would be eligible for an additional 2 percent of the Ohio School Facilities Construction funds.

He said last year, Poland would have received 17 percent from the state toward the new schools. This year it rose to 19 percent.

Punching the numbers into the mix, Hockenberry said the blue option would cost the owner of an average home, appraised at $213,000, about $838 annually and for a $600,000 home, about $2,362 annually.

FINAL TIME

If the board decides to put this on the ballot, it would be the final time for Poland to have new school buildings, he said. If rejected, the school district would have to maintain current facilities.

“If we put it on the ballot this year and taxpayers say no, we will need a plan on what we need to do about increasing enrollment and major building repairs,” Hockenberry said. “It would be in the hands of the voters.”

One big repair that needs to happen soon is a roof replacement at Seminary.

“It will be a multi-million dollar project,” he said. “The whole roof would have to be stripped and air handlers removed. It is a lot of money to put out. If the levy passes, we probably won’t pursue that.”

McKenzie added: “We’ve compiled all the repairs and end-of-life equipment and items that would need replaced. The roof at the high school is one that we see starting to fail.”

The decision on the high school roof is among the projects and repairs that will be on hold depending on the outcome of a possible bond levy, he added. For now, all is riding on the path the school board could choose.

Once the renderings are complete and if the board votes to put the question before voters, Hockenberry said he will be placing the renderings of the new buildings all over Poland.

“And I will continue to be on the ground until Election Day,” he said.