Garrettsville – Last December the James A. Garfield Local School District was awarded a $5 Million State of Ohio Straight A Fund Grant. The funds from this grant have been used to create a “Campus of Excellence” our community can be proud of for generations to come enhancing education for local school children, and expanding opportunities within our community.
As you may have noticed during your travels along State Route 88, construction of the 17,000 square foot addition to the elementary school is under way. This addition will facilitate the consolidation of the James A. Garfield Schools, allowing all 1,500 students to be located on one campus – resulting in over $300,000 in annual operational savings, and increasing the ability to share resources. A professional development center has also been included in the addition, and will be used as a multi-purpose space for training, and public use.
The grant was not limited solely to physical construction projects, as upgrades to the District’s technology infrastructure are also being made. Students in grades 7-12 will be issued laptop computers, and students in grades K-6 will have increased access to laptop carts.
In an effort to bring even more great resources to Garrettsville and our surrounding communities, partnerships were established to make use of the Park Avenue Building. The Greater Cleveland YMCA will bring before and after school care, as well as management of youth sports. The Portage County Educational Service Center will also make use of classroom space at the building to offer a new public preschool option.
A groundbreaking ceremony at the site of the Elementary School’s new fifth and sixth grade wing is scheduled for May 8th at 6:00 PM. Area residents; parents/guardians and students are invited to attend. The rendering above illustrates what the completed project will look like when students arrive on campus at the start of the 2014/2015 school year.
Artist’s Renderings
Artist’s rendering of the elementary school addition as seen from the main entrance (left) and from the driveway (right).
