MONROE — The future campus of Ohio's newest school district is coming into sharper focus after planners unveiled the latest design for the gianteducational complex that will house all Monroe's K-12 students beginning in fall 2004.

        Monroe Board of Education members, who met at the City Council chambers Monday for the design presentationhailed the designs as an exciting addition to the young district, which was formed in 2000 after splitting off from Middletown schools.

        “It will be state-of-the-art,” said Monroe Superintendent Arnol Elam. To assure that, he added, district officials have decided to hold off on ordering any educational technology until next year so the most modern equipment will be featured in the $29.6 million school campus at the northeast corner of Ohio 63 and Yankee Road.

        The complex will include separate wings for elementary, middle school and high school classrooms, and is being built on 186 acres.

        The 242,000-square-foot facility will be large enough to house 2,000 students, with additional wings easily added on to handle anticipated enrollment growth.

        The district's student enrollment, now 1,500, is expected to jump in coming years and more than double by 2020.

        Parent Sandy Snyder said she was pleased with the designs to date.

        Earlier, she had voiced concerns to district officials about mixing the K-12 students in the complex, but design modifications separating the grades in three distinct wings were more to her liking.

        “From the beginning, I wanted three buildings instead of one big building,” said Ms. Snyder.

        Michael Dingeldein, architect and vice president of Steed, Hammond and Paul, which designed the school, also created the Lakota West and East high schools — identical schools that both opened in 1997.

        Like those schools, Monroe's facility will feature a spacious “main street” corridor as its main connector for the three wings.

        In other action, Mr. Elam announced the hiring of Bob Quisenberry as interim athletic director. Recently hired athletic director and varsity football coach John Singleton underwent successful heart surgery last week. Assistant coach Rocky Day is coaching the Lemon-Monroe High School football team until Mr. Singleton recovers.

        Mr. Quisenberry, who has retired, last year served as interim high school principal.

Free parking likely to end for Newport on the Levee patrons
Woman says she had hit list
Brother: Sister 'a rock' for family
City moves toward being model in bioterror fight
East End school plan unveiled
Ex-UC student admits over $470,000 in marijuana sales
Obituary: Louis Roth lived by setting example
Seniors warned of fraud
Supporters: Don't take library
Teens ready for championships
Tristate A.M. Report
Water tower in yard not sight owners want to see
BRONSON: Tainted vote
GUTIERREZ: Obscure board
HOWARD: Some Good News
KORTE: City Hall
SMITH AMOS: Spousal abuse
Bad timing to blame in sewage spill
Clermont planners approve Supercenter
Fairfield weighs justice unit
Innovative school opening
Political fund-raisers in high gear
State-of-the-art theme for new Monroe school
Environmental group tries to stop pipeline
Gov. Taft to start 'Amber Alert' to locate missing kids
Mother sentenced in newborn's death
College eyes deal with ex-president
Kenton refocuses on security
Kentucky News Briefs
Police: Man killed N. Ky. woman
Siblings feud over Wyatt estate