COLERAIN TOWNSHIP, Ohio — Some big changes could be coming to Northwest Local School District.
The board approved a plan Monday that would combine Colerain and Northwest High Schools.
The plan details tearing down Colerain High School and building a new school in its place, meaning Northwest and Colerain students would go to the same school.
The new high school would have a capacity of 2,500 students, according to the facility's plan.
Not all NWLSD parents are on board with the plan.
“I personally feel like it should be kept two schools,” Melissa Setzer said. “Logistically, the kids that go to Northwest, that’s kind of a far drive for those families especially when you don’t have bus service.”
District officials said they based the plan around community survey results. Some parents feel the plan was not reflective of the feedback from families.
“I think it was pretty clear everyone wanted to keep it separate,” Setzer said.
Brian Farrell's kids go to Monfort Heights Elementary School and Houston Early Learning Center.
Farrell said merging the two high schools would impact his kids down the line.
“If I had to vote one way or the other, I’d vote to keep them separate,” he said. “I’d rather have smaller classes. Putting students together is naturally going to add more kids to the classroom.”
Superintendent Darrell Yater did confirm that class sizes would increase with the move.
“Although you're increasing the number of students in a building, you would be increasing the number of classrooms so that our ratios stayed the same,” Yater said.
When it comes to the current buildings, Setzer said she believes Colerain Elementary and Colerain Middle have the greatest need.
“They do need some attention,” she said.
The plan also includes new Colerain elementary and middle school buildings.
“The current plan does also focus on Colerain Elementary as well as our three middle schools and our high school,” Yater said. “So, it does consolidate three middle schools to two, and two high schools to one.”
Yater said having their plan on file with the state is just step one of the process. He said they need to figure out funding before any of this would go before voters with a bond issue.
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