Rossford schools seeking input on aging facilities

3/5/2013

Members of the Rossford schools’ Master Plan Steering Committee are compiling information this week that will help the school board decide what to do about the district’s aged buildings.

The volunteers have been meeting at the subcommittee level. On Wednesday, the architectural selection and design subcommittee is to interview representatives of four architectural firms short-listed for the district’s master planning services. The meeting is set for 6 p.m. in the Bulldog Center Conference Room.

On Monday, the community needs analysis subcommittee decided to send letters to area officials asking if they would be interested in collaborating with the district on facilities projects in an effort to avoid duplication and share services.

The letter will ask, “In the next five years, do you have any plans for projects or building needs that might provide an opportunity for joint collaboration with the Rossford school district? If yes, please elaborate as much as possible.”

Rossford’s old school buildings are structurally sound but in need of significant upgrades. A citizens committee has been studying the possibilities and is to forward options to the school board this summer. They may include new construction, renovations, or a combination of both.

Bringing the high school alone up to contemporary standards would cost $18 million over the next 10 years, and at least $20 million more would be needed to modernize all of the district’s facilities.