money Worthington Schools leaders preparing for next wave of facility improvements in new year
In 2022, Worthington Schools officials say they are optimistic the district will have a clearer road map for the next step in its facility improvements, and they will continue to prioritize and optimize students’ education while weathering the challenges posed by the ongoing COVID-19 coronavirus pandemic.
Last summer, the district completed the first phase of a capital-improvements project that included major renovations to Kilbourne, McCord, Perry, Phoenix and Worthingway middle schools, moving sixth-graders out of the elementary schools and into the middle schools in time for the new academic year.
Read more: Worthington Schools: Middle school construction on schedule for July completion
With the infrastructure at its five middle schools addressed for the foreseeable future, the district is refocusing on the second phase of the capital-improvements plan.
District officials said they expect the phase 2 task force to present its recommendations to the school board in January.
“We’re hopeful they’ll be able to come forward in January with a recommendation,” Superintendent Trent Bowers said.
It’s likely the task force will recommend that phase 2 prioritize improvements to Thomas Worthington and Worthington Kilbourne high schools for the district’s next capital plan, according to Assistant Superintendent Randy Banks.
“The task force has been working throughout 2021 toward this recommendation,” Banks said. “It is likely that despite multiple needs in the district that the task force is going to lean toward the needs at our two comprehensive high schools.
“We have a large number of elementary schools that have systems that the state would tell us it would be better to replace the building than to continue to renovate. But based on all of those needs, it does appear that the task force is leaning toward the needs at the high schools being prioritized.”
Banks said underlying systems at both high schools, such as heating, cooling and electrical, are outdated. The state determined it would be more cost-effective to replace those systems, he said.
“All of those systems would be touched,” Banks said. “Some of them are heating and cooling. Some of them are safety-related. Some of them are technology-related. All of those have been evaluated by the state.”
If the board approves the task force’s recommendations, Banks said, the next step is to begin discussions on how to fund the capital project. He said it is possible a proposal could be presented to voters as soon as the November 2022 election.
Pandemic schooling
Health and safety procedures surrounding COVID-19 are expected to remain in effect throughout the district until the situation improves, district officials said, especially with the emergence of the omicron variant of the virus.
But in-person schooling is expected to continue, Bowers said. The district brought back students to school buildings full-time in the fall.
“What I’m most proud of is ... we’ve had a really successful first semester,” he said. “Our students are back working with their teachers in class every day. There’s no discussion of any sort of alternative schooling methods; our kids are going to be in school. The discussion is really just about what are the mitigation strategies that should be put in place during the school day.”
Related story: Renovated middle schools, cautious optimism ring in new Worthington Schools academic year
Worthington Schools has altered day-to-day instruction and policies since early 2020 to mitigate the risk of COVID-19 while trying to preserve daily education and the daily experiences of students.
This included a mix of hybrid and remote learning throughout the 2020-2021 school year and a combination of safety policies, including a mandatory mask policy for all students, faculty and administration and social distancing in school buildings.
The district implemented a mandatory mask policy when it brought students back to buildings full-time in the fall, a decision that became a divisive issue among some district parents and constituents.
Read more: Worthington Schools leaders cite safety as impetus behind mask mandate for K-12 students, faculty
Read more: Worthington school board meeting disrupted by people refusing to wear masks
“Pandemic schooling continues to challenge us and challenge everybody around us, there’s no question,” Bowers said. “We continue to communicate regularly with Columbus Public Health and Franklin County Public Health and try to listen to their guidance on what mitigation should be in place. I expect those conversations will continue.
“At some point, and I don’t know when that point is, we hope to be able to alleviate those mitigation strategies and move back to what we would call a normal school environment. We know we’re not there yet, and we’ll just continue to monitor that.
“But we do know that kids need to be in school, learning in school, every day. We have cemented that fact as most important.”
Bowers said the district’s internal metrics and state assessment data indicate student performance has not dropped off due to the constraints of COVID-19.
But he said the past two years have been taxing on students, and efforts and resources will continue to be directed to support them as best as possible.
He said this includes “significant investment” in additional mental-health resources and 1-to-1 technology so every student in the district has a Chromebook laptop and other means to access their schooling materials.
Bowers said if a student needs Wi-Fi, the district also can provide a mobile hotspot.
“We do see that our students have struggled to reintegrate into the rigors of daily schooling,” he said. "Their stamina is not what teachers have come to expect. Their understanding of frankly doing homework every night is not what our teachers would normally expect. We do see some more behavior challenges.
“We see that throughout the organization, and we’re adapting to that. Our teachers are making modifications for that. I think every day gets a little bit better as we all refigure out teaching and learning during this time.”
Enrollment projections
The district’s enrollment study from winter 2020 indicates approximately 1,200 students could be added in the next 10 years.
“If we think about the Columbus region and the projected growth throughout the region and the housing market in Worthington, and the fact that we know that houses are turning over as soon as somebody puts them up for sale, it’s logical to believe that those 2020 projections still make sense and we’ll continue to grow,” Bowers said.
Bowers said enrollment is approximately 10,700 students, which is slightly lower than the study’s projections because many students are being homeschooled during the pandemic. However, he said, it is expected a significant portion of those homeschooled students eventually will return to district classrooms.
The five-year enrollment projection is approximately 11,450 students, Bowers said, and the district is expected to have a student body of 12,000 in a decade.
“We’re seeing significant housing turnover in the Worthington Schools attendance area,” he said.
The projections factor into the capital projects and other actions, such as sixth-graders being moved into the middle schools.
The district also has balanced enrollment at its buildings, including transitioning Slate Hill Elementary Students into the Worthington Kilbourne High School pipeline.
Related story: It's Worth It: Learning continues in Worthington Schools even during challenging and changing times
Bowers said district officials will continue to be mindful of current enrollment projections and will continue to take necessary actions to optimize space and resources.
“We’ll continue to evaluate that and make adjustments as needed,” Bowers said. "I do think it’s safe for us to believe that Worthington will continue to grow.”
sborgna@thisweeknews.com
@ThisWeekSteve
This article originally appeared on ThisWeek: Year in preview: Worthington Schools leaders preparing for next wave of facility improvements in 2022
