The historic Scott High School in the city's Old West End will be renovated using some of $37 million in bonds voters have approved, pending final approval from the Toledo Board of Education.
Just hours after Tuesday's initial election results had been tabulated, a school facilities subcommittee of the school board presented a draft resolution yesterday that will be up for approval by the full board at a special meeting tomorrow.
That resolution would put renovation of Scott High School, which opened in 1913, back into the school district's Building for Success new school program - and it would end talks of constructing two new small high schools in lieu of the renovation.
The bond issue calls for voters in the Toledo Public Schools district to be taxed an average of 0.7 mills over 28 years to finance the bonds. The owner of a $100,000 home will pay an average of $22 annually for the issue.
The Scott renovation project will use $5.8 million in local funds from the approved bond amount.
Most of the remaining cost, estimated at $38.9 million, will come from state funds through the Ohio School Facilities Commission.
"We're thrilled. We will be even more thrilled on Friday when the school board does what they said they would do," said Jeff Nelson, a leader with the Save Our Scott coalition.
The share of the project paid for with state funds does not cover some aspects of the renovation such as terra cotta window trim or upgrading the auditorium that would not be used as a classroom.
Private donations may be solicited from Scott alumni, many of whom have stepped up in support of saving the school.
Superintendent John Foley said that faculty, staff, students, and community members will be included in the design and planning phase of a renovated school.
"We hope a renovation of Scott, and putting programs in place, would help us retain students," Mr. Foley said.
At its peak in 1931, Scott High School had 2,379 students. Enrollment has since fallen to about 1,000 students.
Projections suggest that number will continue to decline, down to fewer than 500 students by the 2013-14 school year and just more than 300 students by the 2017-18 year.
Once work begins, Mr. Foley said he expects the renovation project to take about two years. The district's building program is slated to be completed in 2012.
If the TPS board gives the Scott renovation project the final nod, it will eliminate a previous plan to build two small high schools.
After the local share for the Scott renovation is taken from the approved bond money, the remaining funds will be used for renovation projects at 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.
Contact James Joyce III at:
jjoyce@theblade.com
or 419-724-6076.
First Published November 6, 2008, 10:25 a.m.