Piqua schools: 2012 forecast

PIQUA, Ohio (Piqua Daily Call) - The year 2012 promises to be busy for Piqua City Schools.

The next 12 months will be spent not only continuing to provide "a great learning environment," said Superintendent Rick Hanes, but also will be busy working with the district's architect to design three brand new school buildings.

"We're extremely excited about the new building project," Hanes said. Voters in November approved a bond issue that will allow Piqua to build three new elementary buildings under the Ohio Schools Facilities Commission plan.

The sites for the facilities will be Springcreek, Washington and the former Piqua Hospital location.
"We won't see ground moving until spring of 2013," he said. "Our main goal for this year is the design."
Bid packets will then be put together for December 2012 or January/February 2013, he said.

The architect for the project is Fanning Howey of Celina. Gilbane Construction of Columbus has been assigned by the OSFC as the contractors. Gilbane also is working on the renovation project at the Upper Valley Career Center, so is familiar with Piqua, Hanes said.

A district design team has been meeting, Hanes said, to begin the process of building design. On Jan. 25, a partners meeting is set for all entities involved in the building process, including design team members, the architect and construction management team, city officials, township trustees and those involved with zoning, permits and inspections - "all parties who will have to work together," Hanes said, will be invited.

As the design project moves along, community members and students will be invited to join the team, Hanes said. Students will especially be instrumental in helping plan the new buildings' playgrounds and equipment that will be installed at each facility.

"The design team has been meeting once a week on Tuesday mornings," Hanes said. "Once we have more detail and the architect has something for the full team to look at, we will start bringing in community, parents and student representation."

Two teachers already have been invited to join the district's design team and include George Crickmore from Springcreek Primary and Rachel Sukel from Wilder Intermediate.

"The other item we will continue to work on in 2012 is providing a great learning environment for our students. Continuing to make sure student achievement is top notch is always in the forefront for what we're doing here," Hanes said.