ROSS TOWNSHIP — Construction of a new high school and a planned classroom addition at Elda Elementary School can't come soon enough for the Ross Local Schools, where every classroom in the district is used every period of every day.

        Those are the first two projects that would be completed over the next several years in a nearly $50 million master facilities plan approved this year by the Ohio School Facilities Commission and the Ross Board of Education. Both groups will share the cost, with Ross paying 52 percent and the state paying 48 percent.

        To get Ross' share of the project's cost, voters will be asked in November to approve a $24.9 million bond issue that includes the district's share of the project plus money to put an auditorium in the new high school and buy land for the building. Under OSFC guidelines, the Ross board must absorb those costs.

        “We've been looking at this project for two years,” said Joel Fink, assistant superintendent. “We had a task force that got input from more than 200 people who worked on its committees.”

        The plan calls for a new high school large enough for about 807 students. It, plus a 13,000-square-foot addition, would be built in the first of three phases. The rest of the project includes a 9,100-square-foot addition plus renovations at Morgan Elementary, Elda Elementary and the existing high school, which would be converted to a middle school for grades 6-8. If needed, a third elementary school for 475 students would be built in the third phase.

        Enrollment in this southwestern Butler County district is 2,645. That number is expected to increase over the next several years with 1,500 new homes platted in the district, most of them in the Elda attendance area, Mr. Fink said. Last year , modular classes were installed at the high school, where several teachers have no room of their own and travel to different classrooms each period.

        “The state will match our local taxpayers' dollar nearly dollar for dollar,” said Larry Stebbins,president of the Ross Board of Education. “We listened to our residents and did what we thought they wanted. This (bond issue) comes down to the kids. We have more classes than rooms. We're pushed to the limit. We can't add or expand programs because we don't have room.”

        Treasurer Tracy Jarvisestimated it would take a 6.5- to 6.9-mill bond issue to raise $24.9 million. Last week the board asked the Butler County Auditor's Office to certify the exact millage needed. Once that is received, the board must pass a second resolution putting the issue on the ballot. That vote is tentatively set for Aug. 8, she said.

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