Parma City School District consolidation plan

PARMA, Ohio (WJW) – The Parma City School District revealed a new district consolidation plan to the school board Thursday night.

“We narrowed it down to two options. Four elementary schools with two secondary campuses or four elementary schools, two middle schools that stand alone and one high school,” said Superintendent Charles Smialek.

Smialek said the district recommended the 4-2-1 model where Parma, Normandy and Valley Forge High Schools would combine into one.

“It’s a very difficult decision. We’ve often said if there were one perfect plan, we would have enacted it decades ago,” said Smialek.

It’s a plan with a deadline. It must be approved by the board and presented to the state by March 31.

“After that, the state of Ohio will give us final pricing. We don’t have to decide if this will go on the November ballot until July,” said Smialek.

Smialek said the district remains optimistic despite the fact that Parma voters soundly defeated a proposed school levy less than a year ago.

This time around, it would cost homeowners around $22 a month per $100,000 of home value.

The state will pay for 37% of construction and if voters decide against a new-money levy, Smialek said the
district will be forced to consolidate anyway.

“We know that consolidation is part of our future. We want to consolidate into new schools, not consolidate into older schools with issues. It would cost $215 million just to fix the old schools,” said Smialek.