Okemos Public Schools will not relocate Cornell Elementary under bond proposal

Correction: The Okemos Public Schools Board of Education voted unanimously to approve a bond request. That information was incorrect in a previous version.

OKEMOS — The Okemos Public Schools Board of Education Monday approved a $275 million bond request that would rebuild Cornell Elementary at its current location.

Board members voted to put the bond request on November’s ballot. The proposal would generate up to $275 million without increasing current tax rates and include the replacement of three schools: Chippewa Middle School, Kinawa Middle School and Cornell Elementary.

The initial proposal called for Cornell Elementary to be demolished and reconstructed at a site on Powell Road, outside of its current neighborhood and on the north side of Grand River Avenue. Board members ultimately opted to alter the bond request to keep Cornell at its existing location on Cornell Road after several parents and community members raised concerns over the potential of their neighborhood school being relocated.

More: Okemos Public Schools to consider a $275 million bond request to rebuild three schools

The Board approved the revised bond request unanimously after a separate 5-2 vote to keep the proposed Cornell replacement at its current location, with board members Dean Bolton and Jayme Taylor opposing. Board President Mary Gebara became emotional while explaining why she would be voting to support it.

"I really felt that the people in the Cornell community live there, raised their families there, spent their lives there because of that school and where it's located," said Gebara, who once lived in the Cornell Woods neighborhood. "A neighborhood school is a really personal thing and it's really what makes a community a community."

Residents who live in the neighborhoods surrounding the school expressed relief. Eric Juenke's son walks or rides his bike to Cornell Elementary along a half-mile route. It was the school that led the Juenke family to buy a home there after years of renting.

He credited the school board for the courage members showed after being placed in a difficult position.

"What became clear is that they had open minds and they really listened to the community in a way I didn't expect," Juenke said.

On Tuesday, he was still in shock.

"A week ago, I was just living my life. I didn't know anything about this and then we were at risk of losing our school," Juenke said. "I feel relieved. We certainly didn't ask for this fight, but I'm really proud of the community and their response for standing up for the school."

Officials have said all three schools that would be rebuilt require renovations that would ultimately cost more than a complete replacement. Additional projects the bond would cover include renovations to relieve overcrowding; update athletics, fine arts and academic spaces; and replace furniture across the district.

If voters approved the bond request in November, the school district would move forward with constructing the new Chippewa Middle School, which would likely open in the fall of 2026, according to school district documents.

Chippewa students would move into their new building and Cornell students would move into the old Chippewa school until the demolition and construction of the new Cornell is completed at its current 4371 Cornell Road location. It would likely open in the fall of 2028.

The project could cost an additional $6.5 million, an estimate impacted by recent inflation, to rebuild Cornell at its current location, according to Gebara.

The school district would also have to pay for the installation of child-sized bathroom fixtures and a playground at the middle school to accommodate the elementary students. It's unclear what those costs will amount to, but Gebara said there will be enough in the $275 million bond to cover it.

Additionally, the construction scope of the Chippewa and Kinawa schools, which would be connected, will be decreased by about 3,500 square feet, Gebara said.

The new Kinawa Middle School would open in 2030.

The school district will retain ownership of the Powell Road property where Cornell was once planned to be built. Gebara said there are other possibilities for the property that the school district could consider.

Contact Mark Johnson at (517) 377-1026 or majohnson2@lsj.com. Follow him on Twitter at @ByMarkJohnson.

This article originally appeared on Lansing State Journal: Approved Okemos schools bond request will not relocate Cornell