MIDDLETOWN, Ohio -- The Middletown City School District will build a $10 million addition onto an elementary school building, officials announced Tuesday.
The district’s Board of Education passed a resolution to build onto Central Academy in a Monday night meeting in an effort to offer “innovative programing at the elementary level.”
The Central Academy addition would allow school officials to deliver new programs and offer more space for students in kindergarten through the fifth grade. Officials selected Central Academy for the expansion project because buses already run to the building from across the district.
The $10 million project does not require a bond levy, officials said.
Voters passed a bond issue for $55 million in 2014, and school officials used $45 million to update the middle school and high school, according to Randy Bertram, treasurer at Middletown City School District.
“This means we have $10 million we can use on permanent improvement projects such as adding to an existing building,” Bertram said. “The cost of the project including architect fees, construction management, and the actual construction is limited to the $10 million.”
Since 2014, taxpayers have paid $45 million instead of the $55 million authorized. Starting January 2019, taxpayers should expect an annual tax increase of about $1 million or $35 annually per $100,000 of valuation for the life of the bonds, school officials said.
The Middletown City School District’s Curriculum and Innovation Department will form a design team in charge of delivering a new, innovative academic programs that will be offered at Central Academy.
“Expanding our innovative programing at the elementary level is the next step of the Middie Modernization Movement. We’ve asked the community to pivot forward and we’re excited to do this together. Our kids deserve it,” Superintendent Marlon Styles said in a statement.
Construction will start in spring 2019, and the project is scheduled to be completed in August 2020.
