Berkshire Schools Board of Education voted unanimously Dec. 10 to work with Kent State University Geauga and Geauga Growth Partnership to consider a consolidated district with Cardinal, Ledgemont and Newbury schools and provide a county-wide STEM school.
The vote was taken after KSU-Geauga interim Dean Jarrod Tudor and GGP President Tracy Jemison gave the board a verbal presentation.
It was pointed out the tax millage rate for each of the existing four school districts is different.
“We have more questions right now than we have answers,” Tudor said. “It will take all our collective resources. We need to hold more discussions. We need the buy-in from the school boards and from parents.”
Under the proposal, a new high school would be built on the KSU-Geauga campus for the students.
The high school students would share classrooms, labs and a library with the college, and could receive college credit for advanced placement high school classes.
“On the day they receive their high school graduation diplomas, many students could also receive an associate’s degree,” Jemison said. “This means they would only need two years of college to get a four-year degree. That reduces the cost of college.”
When asked what advantage this would have for students who are not interested in college, Jemison answered that technical training on CNC machines and 3D printers would provide 21st century job skills for employers who need people with those skills “right now.”
“Industrial arts classes look much different than they did when I was in school,” Jemison said. “As I talk to area businesses, the number one issue is having a trained workforce. Combining a world-class university with the business community and four school districts is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.”
When asked by an audience member if Auburn Career Center would play a role, Tudor responded “I would love to have a representative participate from there. We’re screening people in, not out of the discussions.”
Jemison said the combined student population would create grade sizes of 250 students, which would enable the new high school to offer more advanced placement electives, whereas currently, the individual schools do not have enough students to populate the classes.
“Without a skilled workforce, we won’t have a local economy,” board member Roger Miller said. “We need to get this thing moving.”
Miller asked that a consultant be added to the planning committee to help guide the boards.
“Someone paid for us to be educated,” said Sue Miller, a retired Chardon teacher. “We owe it to our kids to look at a larger model school instead of several with more limited resources.”
Funding for the new facility could include private money and additional state funding along with resources from KSU-Geauga and the four school districts, according to Tudor.
A woman in the audience asked about sports.
“There would be one set of teams if there is one school district,” Tudor said.