School Board Plans New Kid’s Building Without a Voter Vote

The Ravenna School Board will meet on April 7 to talk about a new elementary school that the district hopes to build without asking voters for extra money. The meeting starts at 4 p. m. in the board office on East Summit Street, where an architect will show a design that would rely largely on funding from the Ohio Facilities Construction Commission (OFCC). The OFCC has offered to cover 76 % of the cost, and the new school would serve kindergarten through sixth grade. Right now, elementary students split between two schools: Willyard hosts kindergarten to second grade, while Brown will take third and fourth graders next year. Seventh and eighth graders move to Ravenna High School, which will then hold grades seven through twelve. The district is weighing two possible sites for the new building, one of which would bring all elementary students onto a single campus. The district’s superintendent, Ben Ribelin, asked Portage County commissioners on April 2 for an update about a land swap. The idea was to trade the soon‑to‑close West Main Elementary School for 11 acres on North Chestnut Street. That parcel sits next to the courthouse and could be useful if the new school is built on the high‑school campus. Commissioners said they would not want to demolish West Main, but some were open to selling the 11‑acre lot. Commissioner Mike Tinlin said he would discuss a sale, and Sabrina Christian‑Bennett expressed interest in helping the district acquire it.To get approval from the OFCC, the board must submit a plan by April 15. Ribelin said the district can meet its 24 % funding match using money already on hand, avoiding a voter ballot. The district has $1. 8 million from recent school sales that can be used for permanent improvements, including new buildings. These funds also mean lower maintenance costs because many current schools are 50 to 70 years old; for example, the newest elementary school was built in 1974. Another option on the table is the 12‑acre site behind Willyard Elementary. A state assessment found that renovating the old building would cost more than constructing a new one, so the district could build a fresh facility on that property. Ideally, both schools would share a campus to simplify transportation, but wetlands and existing fields at the high‑school site could limit where new structures can go. The extra land would need to be used for the school, practice fields, or parking. If the board chooses a plan, the OFCC is expected to approve it in July, giving the district 16 months to secure its share of the funding. This move could save money in the long run, but it also depends on local politics and land availability.