Tuesday, March 21, 2000
School board expected to OK renovations
Math, science academy slated for West End
BY JIM HANNAH
The Cincinnati Enquirer
A consensus developed among Cincinnati Board of Education members Monday as they debated how to proceed with the district's ambitious plan to spend $112.2 million to replace and upgrade crumbling buildings that are among the worst in the nation.
The board tentatively agreed to move ahead with renovations of two West End schools while holding off on a recommendation to convert Withrow High School to a language institute.
No action was taken at Monday's daylong work session, attended by administrators and board members, said district spokeswoman Jan Leslie. The board is expected to approve renovations at the two West End schools during its next regularly scheduled board meeting on Monday.
“These are not simple, easy decisions for the board to make,” Superintendent Steven Adamowski said. “The bottom line here is that I want to see our school buildings renovated and fixed. This is an important step in getting that done.”
After a decade of minimal maintenance and emergency re pairs, administrators hope to make dramatic improvements after borrowing against $200 million Cincinnati and Hamilton County officials have pledged during the next 20 years to fix school buildings.
It's part of an in-lieu-of-tax plan the school district has with city and county officials, Ms. Leslie said. That prevents the district from diverting the money to pay for operating cost shortfalls brought on by the recent failure of a 6.5-mill levy increase that would have brought in an additional $36 million.
At Monday's meeting, the board decided to move ahead with converting Porter Middle School and Hays Elementary into a Math and Science Academy for fourth through 12th grades. The renovations are estimated to cost $10.5 million. Porter had been scheduled to close as part of K-8 redistricting.
This move could be the first step in rebuilding Washburn Elementary, which had been recommended for closing. Officials talked about having students meet at Hays while Washburn is being rebuilt.
Porter and Hays are next to each other in the West End.
The board also decided against converting Withrow into a K-12 “International Academy,” at least for one more school year.
Had that part of the plan gone forward, Heinold Elemen tary School in North Fairmount and the Academy of World Languages in Evanston, which offer foreign-language programs, would have closed and their programs would have moved to Withrow. It was estimated that renovations at Withrow would have cost $24 million.
The board wanted more information on several aspects of the overall building-renovation plan, including the ramifications of renovating Roll Hill School in North Fairmount, now home to Project Succeed. Project Succeed is being restructured and moving to a yet-to-be determined location for next school year.
Parking to be tight for Reds' day games
Prison mom's fight led to major reforms
Rape suspects back in school
Bus dispute still muddled
Citizens air police complaints
Frosh offer slice of Amelia High
St. Patrick helps many have fun
4-year-old honored for 911 call that saved mom
Ballpark closer to getting a manager
Discs show why Duke was a king
Business asked to oppose workers' comp reform
Butler County elderly receive added assistance
Charter proposals scrutinized
New school district aims to fill jobs
School board expected to OK renovations
Suspect charged in N.Ky. slaying
Temple to get new life in arts
House razing goes before city
Indiana woman, 61, dies after head-on crash
Middletown considers changes to charter
Plaza to honor military service
Residents to vacate Warrick Apts.
'Three Days of Rain' clears up in second act
Cincinnati Zoo has pachyderm Picasso
Congressman takes civics lesson to the floor - of school library
Hay exits primary, endorses Roeding
Mason Kiwanis plan golf outing at Kings Island
N.Ky. drug unit faces new questions
Queen City's moments to shine reflected in book
GET TO IT
TRISTATE DIGEST
