Kenston Superintendent Proposes Building Consolidation
Kenston Schools Superintendent Steve Sayers unveiled a cost-saving plan to keep the district financially stable during the district’s school board meeting Oct. 9.
Kenston Schools Superintendent Steve Sayers unveiled a cost-saving plan to keep the district financially stable during the district’s school board meeting Oct. 9.
In addressing concerns of declining enrollment, aging buildings and financial strains on the district, Sayers proposed consolidating from four to three school buildings effective at the beginning of the 2024-25 school year.
“What we’re trying to do is to build a future for our students and our community that’s sustainable,” he told the Kenston Schools Board of Education. “We’ve talked administratively, we’ve looked at a lot of different things, we’ve taken a lot of factors into consideration and we know the path that we’re on now is not sustainable. We believe that this right-sizing plan is a big step to not only make things better for our students over the next couple of years, but also position the district for long-term success.”
Under the plan, Kenston Intermediate School would close and the fourth- and fifth-grade students would shift to Kenston Middle School, while eighth-grade students would shift to Kenston High School.
“The challenge is how do we continue to provide what we’re currently providing, but do it in a more efficient way. In no way shape or form do we want to compromise what it is we’re offering,” Sayers said. “We see this as actually an opportunity to maybe enhance some things that we’re doing.”
The superintendent also provided information about the proposed permanent improvement levy the school board placed on the Nov. 7 ballot for the public’s consideration, noting the district’s current need to transfer $575,000 from the general fund annually to cover the costs of permanent improvements necessary to support students and their educational experience.
“We’re one of about 13% of the districts in Ohio that do not have some kind of a PI or maintenance type of levy to help with those roofs, parking lots, buses, technology servers, windows and all those kinds of things,” Sayers said. “All of those dollars, all of those purchases have to come out of the general fund. We also know that the costs to address those PI needs is going to continue to rise.”
The 1.35-mill levy, if passed, would yield an estimated $1,265,000 annually and cost homeowners $47 per year per $100,000 property valuation, according to the Geauga County Auditor’s Office.
“If the PI levy fails, we would have to transfer additional funds above and beyond the current $575,000 out of the general fund into the PI fund to address those greater needs,” Sayers said.
In looking to the future, Sayers said the board will have an option to place a bond issue on the 2029 ballot to generate funds to construct a new building for grades third through eighth or grades fourth through eighth on the current Kenston Intermediate School site.
The bond would replace an existing bond issue scheduled to expire in 2029 and result in no tax increase, he said.
“That’s obviously a scenario for the board to consider as we look out to the future,” Sayers said.
The new building would be used to accommodate future growth, allow space to support the district’s initiatives, provide space to facilitate 21st-century educational standards and keep all buildings on one campus, he said.
“Again, we’re trying to build a future that’s sustainable for our students and community and staff,” Sayers said.
The school board will have the option to vote on the consolidation recommendation at the Oct. 16 meeting.
