The Plan

Beginning in January 2020, Stow-Munroe Falls City Schools and many community members embarked on a multi-year master planning project to understand the long-term needs of the elementary and middle school (PreK-8) facilities in our community. The goal was to develop a plan that addresses the age and capacity concerns of our buildings and understand how our facilities could be managed to improve students' learning environment and achieve operational efficiencies in maintenance and transportation. The forward-thinking plan was developed to serve the next generation of SMF students.

Using a facilities committee which included a cross-section of the community, the district spent several years studying the conditions of our schools and developing facility plans that will fulfill our educational needs moving forward. The district conducted a community survey and held two Facility Planning Community Events. The goal of these events was to review the shortlisted master plan options and garner additional community input to inform the final stages of the planning process. Over 200 residents attended the two events on January 18 and January 25, 2024, with hundreds more participating in the online survey.

Based on these years of study and input from our community, the district developed the following plan.

Stow-Munroe Fall City Schools Facilities Plan

4 New Elementary Schools (Grades K-5)

*One of which will host the preschool program

1 New Middle School (Grades 6-8)

Abate and Demolish all existing K-8 schools except Woodland

An auditorium and athletic improvements at the new middle school

Final Plan

Based on feedback from the facilities committee and the community, the following plan was decided on:

Four new K-5 Elementary Schools, approximately 85,000 SF, with one building including a dedicated PreKindergarten space. The four schools will be located on the Housely, Fishcreek, Indian Trail and Kimpton sites
A new 6-8 Middle School, 160,600 SF, to serve 1,197 students with an attached auditorium, general stadium improvements, and a new baseball field on the Highland/Lakeview Elementary School site.
The abatement and demolition of the existing K-8 schools, except Woodland Elementary School

Replacing the aging infrastructure for grade levels K-8 ensures the district replaces the oldest infrastructure and streamlines maintenance and operational costs while providing the best educational environment for young students entering high school.

The consolidation to 4 elementary schools ensures a “smaller school feel” that most residents prefer while strategically locating them throughout the Stow-Munroe Falls communities.

Financial Details

Below are additional financial details on the overall plan.

The project will be funded by a ballot issue this November 2024, with a total project amount of $238,005,493.
The November bond issue is for 8.89 millage, which assumes a 35-year term with a 5.00% interest rate and an approximate cost of $25.90 monthly per $100,000 of assessed home value to district residents.
Stow-Munroe Falls City Schools would qualify for up to a 27% future credit from the OFCC through the ELPP program once the project is completed.
All the new schools would be completed in 4-5 years. At this point, the existing schools would be demolished, and the K-5 students would move into the new buildings in the fall.
In 2022 and 2023, levies were passed to fund the district's daily operations, but these funds are separate from those for new construction. This ensures there are adequate operational funds when the new buildings come online.

Ballot Language

Below is what you will see on the November 2024 Ballot.

AFFIRMATIVE VOTE IS NECESSARY FOR PASSAGE

Shall bonds be issued by the Stow-Munroe Falls City School District, Summit and Portage Counties, Ohio for the purpose of constructing, improving, furnishing, and equipping four new PK-5 elementary schools and one new 6-8 middle school, with related site improvements and appurtenances thereto; improving, renovating, furnishing, and equipping existing facilities; constructing, furnishing, and equipping new facilities for school district purposes; and demolition of existing facilities in the principal amount of $238,005,493, to be repaid annually over a maximum period of 35 years, and an annual levy of property taxes be made outside the ten-mill limitation, estimated by the county auditor to average over the repayment period of the bond issue 8.89 mills for each $1 of taxable value, which amounts to $311 for each $100,000 of the county auditor's appraised value, commencing in 2024, first due in calendar year 2025, to pay the annual debt charges on the bonds, and to pay debt charges on any notes issued in anticipation of those bonds?

FOR THE BOND ISSUE

AGAINST THE BOND ISSUE