Public forums are being scheduled to to discuss school facility options and to seek community feedback in the Big Walnut School District.

During last week’s Big Walnut Board of Education meeting, Superintendent Angie Pollock said a district facility planning board committee is preparing to meet the projected 62 percent to 79 percent in student population growth the district expects over the next 10 years.

During a November board meeting, board members approved a motion to establish the committee. It falls under the same Sunshine Laws as the board of education, with advertised public meetings and meeting minutes as public documents.

At that November meeting, Pollock said that, by 2026, the district would be serving 2,000 additional students. She also said the district’s current facilities would not accommodate the number of additional students the district expects over the next decade; and it takes three to four years to design and build a school building.

On Feb. 18, Pollock said members of the facilities committee want to present facilities options to the community in public forums, and are seeking feedback from the community.

Pollock said the 6 p.m. forums are scheduled for:

• Monday, April 4, at Sunbury Village Hall.

• Monday, April 11, at Genoa Township Hall.

• Thursday, April 14, at Berkshire Township Hall.

• Monday, April 18, at Big Walnut High School.

• Wednesday, April 27, at Harlem Township Hall.

• Wednesday, May 4, at Galena Village Hall.

Pollock said a forum for Porter and Kingston township residents would be at a date and time yet to be determined.

“We will also have forums for building PTO’s, at our staff meetings, plus a presentations at the April board of education meeting,” Pollock said.

Pollock said the district has also been working collaboratively with political subdivisions in the district to address the demands of growth.

“We’re very appreciative of the efforts of our community partners as we join forces to meet the demands of residential growth,” Pollock added.