April 22, 2026
Independence Local Schools’ current primary school (built in 1956) and middle school (built in 1961) are more than 60 years old. Independent facilities assessments found that renovating these buildings to meet current educational standards, safety codes, and accessibility requirements would cost nearly $63 million and would still leave long-term limitations.
A new PreK–8 school with two buildings under one roof estimated at $59.5 million would:
» Cost less long-term than renovating and maintaining two aging buildings
» Better support today’s teaching methods, student services, and safety expectations
» Allow the PreK–8 school to be located next to the high school for shared resources and smoother student transitions
A new PreK–8 school with two buildings under one roof estimated at $59.5 million would:
» Cost less long-term than renovating and maintaining two aging buildings
» Better support today’s teaching methods, student services, and safety expectations
» Allow the PreK–8 school to be located next to the high school for shared resources and smoother student transitions