Article published November 08, 2008
Toledo Public Schools authorizes Scott renovation
Approval of Issue 35 paves way to help several schools
Jesup W. Scott High School in Toledo will undergo a renovation following the passage of Issue 35 on election day. The renovation will cost Toledo School $5.8 million with the Ohio School Facilities Commission picking up the rest. The school currently has around 1,000 students.
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THE BLADE
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By MEGHAN GILBERT
BLADE STAFF WRITER
The Toledo Board of Education voted unanimously yesterday to renovate Scott High School.
The board authorized the district to amend the final segment of its building plan to renovate the historic school in the city's Old West End instead of building two small high schools.
Supporters of Scott renovation applauded at the conclusion of the brief meeting.
"This is a real indication of the board and the community working together," board member Darlene Fisher said. "The conclusion of the Scott renovation is a long time coming."
Voters approved Issue 35, the $37 million bond issue, with a 58.3 percent yes vote. That action provides the local money necessary to put Scott back into the Building for Success program.
The district expects to use $5.8 million of that toward the Scott renovation, with the Ohio School Facilities Commission contributing the rest.The commission covers 77 percent of Toledo Public Schools' entire building program, with the remaining 23 percent coming from local funds.
Originally, it was thought that up to $14 million in local money would be needed to renovate Scott, but a reassessment brought that number down to $5.8 million by focusing on usable space in the building.
Scott High School opened in September, 1913, and at its peak in 1931 had 2,379 students.
The nearly 261,500-square-foot school currently has about 1,000 students.
"To me it's a no-brainer that we've got to save our history and our heritage," said Jeff Nelson, a leader with the Save Our Scott coalition who lives in the Old West End neighborhood.
"I hope that the lessons we learn renovating Scott can apply to Waite and the other schools," he added. "We are very excited so many schools will benefit from this bond issue."
The other schools to be renovated with the bond issue funds are Waite High School; the former DeVilbiss High School, which houses the Toledo Technology Academy; the Old West End Academy, and Crossgates, Edgewater, Glendale-Feilbach, and Harvard elementary schools.
After the meeting, the district held a news conference to thank voters for passing both the bond issue and the renewal levy on election day.
Superintendent John Foley also encouraged parents to attend parent-teacher conferences, which will be Thursday and Friday.
Participation last year was up 5 percent at the elementary level to 87 percent and up 9 percent to 45 percent at the middle school level, but Mr. Foley said the district would like to see more parents involved in their children's education.
Contact Meghan Gilbert at:
mgilbert@theblade.com
or 419-724-6134.
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