Emotions were high Monday night at a meeting at Kenmore High School to discuss a merger with Garfield High School. One after another, parents and community members, many wearing Kenmore Cardinal red, took the microphone to voice their displeasure and ask questions of Akron Public Schools Superintendent David James.
But perhaps the most impassioned plea came from former Akron Mayor Don Plusquellic, a Kenmore grad and former football standout, who told the crowd of about 200 in the high school auditorium: “I think the people have been very cordial and nice compared to maybe what I’m feeling in my heart, because this is the last thing I want to do tonight … but I want to tell you, what you’re doing is wrong.”
The school would be the last new high school built in the Akron Public Schools’ nearly $800 million districtwide construction project. The goal is to start construction of the new high school by fall of 2018.
Because of declining enrollment, the original plan for construction at 58 school buildings has been scaled back to 34. The state, which at the beginning of the project told the district that enrollment projections called for four high schools, in recent months said it would fund one more high school, based on projected enrollment for a 2020-2021 build-out year.
The Akron Board of Education made the decision to merge the schools last month in a unanimous vote. The merger would save about $1.3 million annually, including salaries and utilities, according to the district.
Plusquellic appalled
The board will decide this month where the new school will be located.
“I’m embarrassed tonight,” Plusquellic said, “because I stood with most of you [and] came out and fought for this [new school construction].
“… We are talking about a public school system that is losing students. Do you honestly think that the decision that you are making is going to gain you more students?
“The wrongness in this is because, in my opinion, you haven’t stepped back and said, what is the right thing for the students?”
The plan to renovate and rebuild school buildings dates back to 2002. It is a partnership among the school district, the city of Akron and the Ohio Facilities Construction Commission (OFCC). It is funded in part by a 0.25 percent increase to the city income tax that voters approved in 2003, with the state paying 59 percent toward construction and renovations of school district buildings.
“Dave, I’m sorry,” Plusquellic said to James, “I think the world of you, but when you say to folks here, ‘hey, what do you want to do, go back out and ask people for a levy,’ if that’s what it takes to keep the commitment, at least shouldn’t we try?…” “But to permanently make a commitment that you’re going to close Kenmore forever … it’s not fair. It will only result in your having less students. This community will continue to slide because they will not have their community school, as promised.”
Plusquellic then apologized that he “didn’t demand that Kenmore was done first, because I depended on the people sitting here. … I thought I was working with people who would keep their commitment to this community.” He received applause and a standing ovation.
“Where the city’s finances are now, even if we extended the income tax we still couldn’t get additional bonds,” James told the crowd. “If we’re going to get additional money, it’s going to have to come as a property tax.”
When reached by phone after the meeting, James said he had no further comment on Plusquellic’s remarks. “I understand people are upset,” James said. “I’m just trying to answer their questions.”
“I feel like Garfield’s just invading,” said Hailee Smallwood, 16, a Kenmore junior. “This is our school.”
Hailee, who sings in the choir and the school’s madrigal group, said she worries that she may lose her choir teacher, Barbara Bellamy. “I feel threatened,” she said. “Miss Bellamy is like, my school mom.”
Staff assignments
The district has said teachers and other staff members at a school slated for merger will be assigned to schools throughout the district based on need. It is possible current high school staff will be assigned to a student’s new school, according to a handout provided by the district.
“I don’t feel like they should close schools,” said Lisa Wilson, a 1984 Kenmore graduate.
The school district, which has been moving away from traditional neighborhood high schools to high schools with special programs that attract students from throughout the system, has a building space capacity of 30,442 students. Its current enrollment is 20,772.
Year-end enrollment data show Kenmore High School has 522 students, who fill the high school to 33 percent of its capacity, the lowest of the district’s high schools.
Monica L. Thomas can be reached at 330-996-3827 or mthomas@thebeaconjournal.com. Follow her on Twitter @MLThomasABJ and https://www.facebook.com/MLThomasABJ.