The Campus of Excellence Oversight Committee met on March 20, 2014 in the James A. Garfield Middle School to receive information and updates on the momentous project under way in the district, moving the Intermediate School to the main campus, thus gathering all the parts of the system—Elementary, Intermediate, Middle and High School, as well as the Orson E. Ott Administrative Offices and the Transportation and Maintenance Departments—onto the same campus. The goals of this project include the addition of the building to the existing elementary, technology across the system and sustainability (cost reduction, staff reduction, materials-use reduction). Moving forward will involve community involvement at every phase.
Portage County Educational Service Center Superintendent Dewey Chapman expressed confidence in and appreciation for the role that his group will be playing in the total success of the operations. Nichol Higdon, of the Cleveland-area YMCA outlined some of the possible activities planned for the existing Intermediate building, including for youth development, for active older adults, for summer camps and co-ordination with other entities. A website should be up by April sometime, offering further information.
Hammond Construction presented construction updates, with another look at the floor plan, outside elevations and information on utilization plans and relocations—parking, sidewalks, traffic patterns, etc.—as well as a unifying and distinctive “yellow-brick” trim.
Superintendent Ted Lysiak, wagon master for the effort thanked committee members for their questions and input, recognized Kim Curry for her organizing the return of the Garfield junior soccer program and announced the date of thier next meeting.
