Grace Kirchner, Leader Correspondent
The Clintonville School District will hold two public information meetings this month to educate area residents about the $24.9 million referendum on the April 4 ballot.
The meetings will be held at 6 p.m. Monday and March 23 in the cafeteria at Rexford-Longfellow Elementary School, 105 S. Clinton Ave. Tours will be available.
A mailing will be going out to taxpayers next week inviting them to the sessions to learn more about plans to raze the existing school and to build a new elementary school on the Rexford-Longfellow site.
Because the new building would be located behind the present school, Rexford-Longfellow would continue to be used during construction.
The Dellwood Early Learning Center would be closed under the plan, and the new school would house grades 4K-4. The district is considering options for the Dellwood building if the referendum passes.
According to the school district, the plan would include a tax increase of no more than $98 per year for the owner of a $100,000 home for the first five years; the rate would decline after that.
A task force that studied elementary school needs in the district for several months recommended a new school as the best solution in November. A month earlier, a survey conducted for the school district found more residents supported building a new elementary school than renovating the current school. The school board approved the referendum proposal in January.
A section of the Rexford-Longfellow complex was built in 1918 as a high school. Additional classrooms were added in 1956. Classrooms and a gymnasium were added in 1964. A cafeteria was added in 1992, and offices were added in 1996.
The task force found that the structure needs tuck pointing, the windows and doors need to be repaired or replaced, a portion of the roof needs to be replaced, the heating system is aging, and parts of the building do not meet Americans with Disabilities Act standards or fire codes.
The Rexford-Longfellow infrastructure also does not support modern technology, according to a facilities assessment done by Bray Architects.
The 154,000-square-foot building is larger than what is needed to serve the current and projected student enrollment, and is more expensive to heat and operate due to age, the committee concluded.
At 104,000 square feet, the new building would be more energy efficient, with improved traffic flow and parking, according to school officials. A new playground would be built behind the new elementary school. A large parking lot and drop-off zone would be created along Eighth Street. A new bus drop-off would be added on the west side of the building along South Clinton Avenue.
Superintendent Tom O’Toole said the district would break ground in 2018, if the referendum is approved, and be in the new building for fall 2019. At that time, the 1918 building would be demolished.
Rexford-Longfellow Principal Tammy Bagstad said a new facility would provide a more secure entrance to the school. Presently visitors have full access to almost anywhere in the building without being seen.
“We want a safe place,” Bagstad said. “We want to educate children first. Parents are welcome. Parents can always help.”
The present school was built to accommodate high school students, not kindergarten to fourth grade, she said.
“It would be awesome to have a new elementary school. It would be good for the community,” said Scott Huff, assistant principal. He said he came to Clintonville partially because he knew the district was going to consider a new school.
Miron Construction has provided large display boards with information about the referendum question. The boards are on display at various locations around the community for the public to study. Information is also available on the district’s website.