Olentangy BOE will meet at new building

New building. Same board.

New principal. Same school.

The Olentangy Board of Education will have its first meeting at its new home, 7840 Graphics Way Drive, in Lewis Center at 6 p.m. Thursday.

It will also consider hiring Robert Griffiths for the Olentangy High School principal job. Griffiths is assistant principal at Olentangy Liberty High School.

The board approved earlier this year the relocation of its administrative offices to the 39,259-square-foot office building to allow for more needed classroom space.

“The agenda is very full as we have many new hires to approve for next year, we have a presentation from food service, we will be reviewing the student and athletic handbooks with proposed changes and we will be recognizing our great community volunteers,” said board member Julie Feasel on her Facebook page.

The districts new home for administrators will house about 100 staff members and provide enough conference space for meetings with other employees throughout the district. It includes six conference rooms named after townships in Delaware County such as the Berlin Room, where the school board will meet.

Workers added some of the final work in the 1,900-square-foot room Wednesday.

The district’s administrative offices were housed within Shanahan Middle School, about four miles north of the new building. The relocation will, in turn, free up space within the school to be converted into 12 preschool classrooms and two larger activity spaces.

The board will consider at Thursday’s meeting to approve three contracts totaling $306,484 to renovate the former administration areas.

Under the agreement, the district will pay $39,957.23 per month for the Graphics Way Drive building. The rate will increase to $41,999.56 after 32 months.

The agreement provides the district the option to purchase the building for no less than $4.5 million after the third year of the lease. The price is determined on the average of two appraisals at time of purchase. The property owner is obligated to sell if the average is above the $4.5 million.

For other agenda items, the board will consider:

• To increase the price of students lunches by 10-cents to $2.50 for elementary school; $2.75 for middle school; and $3 for high school.

• A resolution to wave required notices from Delaware County in regard to the expected adoption of a Tax Increment Financing Resolution by county commissioners.

Staff at work at the new lobby of Olentangy Schools’ administration building, 7840 Graphics Way, in Lewis Center. The Berlin Room is down the hallway on the left after entering the building.

http://aimmedianetwork.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/40/2017/05/web1_DSC_0011-1.jpgStaff at work at the new lobby of Olentangy Schools’ administration building, 7840 Graphics Way, in Lewis Center. The Berlin Room is down the hallway on the left after entering the building. Brandon Klein | The Gazette

Olentangy schools’ new administration building at 7840 Graphics Way will have six conference rooms each named after a township in Delaware County. The Concord Room is along the way before reaching the Berlin Room where the Olentangy school board will meet.

http://aimmedianetwork.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/40/2017/05/web1_DSC_0013-1.jpgOlentangy schools’ new administration building at 7840 Graphics Way will have six conference rooms each named after a township in Delaware County. The Concord Room is along the way before reaching the Berlin Room where the Olentangy school board will meet. Brandon Klein | The Gazette

Some final work was being done Wednesday for the Berlin Room, where the Olentangy Board of Education will now have its meetings at the new administration building, 7840 Graphics Way, in Lewis Center. The board’s first meeting is Thursday.

http://aimmedianetwork.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/40/2017/05/web1_DSC_0001-1.jpgSome final work was being done Wednesday for the Berlin Room, where the Olentangy Board of Education will now have its meetings at the new administration building, 7840 Graphics Way, in Lewis Center. The board’s first meeting is Thursday. Brandon Klein | The Gazette