An architectural firm headquartered in Cincinnati, which recently completed an elementary schools project for West Clermont Schools, has been picked to design East Clinton’s middle school construction and facilities renovation project.
The East Clinton project involves building a new middle school and upgrading the high school and the two elementaries.
Elevar Design Group was selected after interviews were held with representatives of the three firms that were finalists, said Superintendent Eric Magee at Tuesday night’s board meeting. John Rademacher, Elevar client manager out of the Dayton satellite office, attended the Tuesday session and was set to return Wednesday for a kick-off meeting.
He said the firm has 84 individuals. A hallmark of the firm, said Rademacher, is staff is “always challenging ourselves with what is that next thing that we need; what is that next thing that we’re looking for; what makes education better at all levels?”
The Elevar website shows multiple school projects in its folder. A few of those are Streetsboro High School, Three Rivers PK-12 School in Cleves, and West Clermont High School.
Elevar also is assisting in the West End Stadium project in Cincinnati. It’s a future soccer stadium that’s under construction, and will be home for the major league soccer team FC Cincinnati.
On another matter, Magee brought up that he plans, in the near future, to ask the school board to approve more professional development time for the teaching staff. He noted the district already has dedicated three or four added days of professional development, but that’s still not enough, he said.
The superintendent said he probably will ask that three to six days of professional development be set for summer.
Magee said he is working with teachers and their union to make it happen, adding it is an expense the district will incur. But he believes it will be worth the cost, he said.
Already it is an exciting time for the district, with a lot of things going on, said the superintendent.
A recent curriculum/instructional audit has helped show where the district stands now, and also produced 10 recommendations.
“Now is the time; now is the time for East Clinton to put the stake in the ground. And today is the day that we change and accomplish those things that the district wants to accomplish,” Magee said.
New Vienna Elementary School Principal Jason Jones said a law enforcement officer advised staff there during an early dismissal day about recent updates to ALICE (Alert, Lockdown, Inform, Counter, Evacuate) procedures.
The high and middle schools also conducted emergency drills or training, with the high school doing a practice lockdown and a full-scale evacuation, said East Clinton High School Principal Michael Adams.
In that connection, the district is hoping to have a 5-gallon bucket in each classroom, containing things that might be needed if classrooms were locked down in an active shooter situation. District officials hope businesses and others will donate bucket supplies or the buckets.
The purpose of a bucket might be for a restroom, and it could contain such things as toiletries, a shower curtain for privacy, a first-aid kit, and maybe some water bottles.
Reach Gary Huffenberger at 937-556-5768.
