Changes to SHP master plan opens to potential new construction for Marietta City Schools
Phillips Elementary Principal Kristi Lantz (right) and Washington Elementary Principal Kris Schoeppner (left) attend Marietta City Schools Board of Education working meeting on Wednesday afternoon discussing changes to the SHP master plan. (Photo by Sophie Wheeler)
From left, Board members Taylor Huffman, Russ Garrision, Cody Parman, Superintendant Mary Schaeffer, and Director of Master Planning for SHP Josh Predovich at the Marietta City Schools Board of Education working meeting on Wednesday afternoon, discussing changes to SHP facilities master plan. (Photo by Sophie Wheeler)
Phillips Elementary Principal Kristi Lantz (right) and Washington Elementary Principal Kris Schoeppner (left) attend Marietta City Schools Board of Education working meeting on Wednesday afternoon discussing changes to the SHP master plan. (Photo by Sophie Wheeler)
From left, Board members Taylor Huffman, Russ Garrision, Cody Parman, Superintendant Mary Schaeffer, and Director of Master Planning for SHP Josh Predovich at the Marietta City Schools Board of Education working meeting on Wednesday afternoon, discussing changes to SHP facilities master plan. (Photo by Sophie Wheeler)
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MARIETTA - Marietta City Schools Board of Education met for a working meeting with Director of Master Planning Josh Predovich to discuss the SHP facilities project as it moves from the assessment phase to the "options phase" and how the master plan has changed from 2019.
Predovich discussed the changes to the 2019 master plan caused by shifts in construction costs and declining enrollment rates. He said the cost for construction is approximately $425 per square feet, and enrollment has dropped to 145, below the initial projection in 2019. This led to conceptualizing a K-12 building opposed to two separate buildings for K-6 and 7-12.
Along with the consideration for a new construction, Predovich said to maintain the existing buildings would cost approximately $135 million over ten years, and with inflation the total cost would be around $170 million.
The new construction would be approximately 220,000 square feet and cost around $93 million.
Through the Classroom Facilities Assistance Program (CFAP), the OFCC would split project costs based on an assessed wealth formula between the state and local contributions.
The distributions, based on the 2019 wealth assessment, would be a 39% state and 61% local contribution.
For the proposed K-12 building, the cost would be approximately $56.9 million for the district.
Prodovich said that while the percentages are based on the 2019 assessment, the 2026 wealth assessment has not been released as of Wednesday and the distribution of cost would follow the most recent assessment. He said solidified numbers won't be available until enrollment projections and the wealth assessments are available.
"All my numbers are here to help you sort of understand the order of magnitude (of the project)," said Prodovich.
He said the district's CFAP agreement has lapsed and asked for a resolution to be put on the agenda at the next regular Board of Education meeting to reenter CFAP. This will allow OFCC to conduct projects and assessments for the project, moving the project forward. This will also finalize the cost ratios for the project, preventing any further changes based on future wealth assessments.
Prodovich said moving to a K-12 building has a number of trade-offs but operationally and educationally would be beneficial.
"I try to think about educational delivery, and I think that there are opportunities for students to move both up and down as they need to," he said. "if they have the ability to advance in math or specials or anything else, if they're not in the same building it's an opportunity that's not there for them."
The board is still considering locations for the potential construction and taking transportation and traffic surveys into account before any plans are solidified.
Sophie Wheeler can be reached at wheeler@newsandsentinel.com