Facility Information

Through the planning process, one option developed through the study includes the construction of three new elementary schools.

This concept is intended to address long-term facility needs, improve learning environments, and plan for the future use of district buildings and property. Final decisions regarding projects would occur after voter consideration of the bond issue and further action by the Board of Education.

Throughout the Facility Master Planning process, community input has played an important role in shaping discussions. Residents, staff members, and families were invited to participate through meetings and surveys.

The attached assessment documents include notes and revisions provided by Sol/Harris Day Architecture. Renovation cost estimates were adjusted to reflect findings from Sol/Harris Day, and these adjusted figures were presented at the Futures Conference. Sol/Harris Day will submit proposed adjustments to the Ohio Facilities Construction Commission (OFCC) for review. OFCC is the state agency that partners with districts on school facility planning and funding. The OFCC will evaluate these proposed changes and issue revised assessments accordingly.

New building cost calculations are based on a facility of equivalent square footage using current published cost data. These figures are provided solely for comparison to renovation costs and do not represent a proposed construction solution.

Avondale Elementary
Barr Elementary 
Frazer Elementary
Middlebranch Elementary
Taft Elementary
Warstler Elementary 
Glenwood Intermediate School
Oakwood Middle School
Little Eagles Preschool (Day)

The terms and abbreviations listed below may be used throughout the Futures Conference and the Master Facility Planning process. Please refer to this glossary to become familiar with commonly used terms.

• Condition Assessments = A detailed inspection of facility systems (HVAC, roofs, MEP, etc.) to evaluate how systems are functioning and their conditions. Assessments assist in determining renovation, replacement or maintenance of individual systems and/or facilities.
• Educational Adequacy = A school’s physical environment that supports high-quality teaching and learning. This includes safe, well-maintained, and equipped buildings with appropriate spaces and resources that enable students to meet academic standards and thrive in their educational experience.
• Enrollment = The number of students attending a particular school or district.
• Facility Condition Index (FCI) = A metric used to assess the physical condition of a building or facility. It's calculated by dividing the cost of needed repairs by the current replacement value of the facility, expressed as a percentage.
• FMP = Facilities Master Plan
• Geographic Information Systems (GIS) = Geographic Information Systems or GIS integrates software, hardware, data, and people to create, store, analyze, display, report, and manage geographic information
• Grade Configuration = The arrangement of students into grade groupings. A common grade grouping would be K-5, 6-8, and 9-12. Other examples include PK-3, PK-6, K-3, K-8, 4-6, 7-9, 9-12, and 10-12.
• Historical Enrollment = The number of students attending a particular school or district in the past. For example, if we say the historical enrollment of Washington Elementary School in 2010-2011 was 543 students, we are indicating that the number of students attending that school in that year in the past was 543 students.
• Ohio Facilities Construction Commission (OFCC) = State Agency that partners with school districts to fund capital improvements.
• Program Requirements = What the facility needs to effectively deliver the curriculum.
• Programs = The curriculum that is taught/delivered.
• Projected Enrollment = A forecast of how many students are expected to attend a school or school district in the future.
• Renovation = Modification of the interior of a facility. Minor renovation includes upgrades to furniture, fixtures, and equipment (FF&E) and potentially a single system (electrical, plumbing, etc.). Moderate renovation includes upgrades to FF&E and more than one system. Major renovation includes removing & replacing the interior of the facility, upgrades to FF&E, and most, if not all, systems.
• Replacement Cost = The hard cost per square foot plus the costs assumed for site improvements to replace a facility at its current square footage.
• School Size = The total enrolled population of a school.
• School Site = The acreage on which a school facility and its surrounding exterior features sit, such as parking lots, sidewalks, playgrounds, fields, courts, etc.

On Wednesday, September 3, 2025, Plain Local Schools hosted a Futures Conference as part of the Facility Master Planning process. Close to 200 community members attended to offer feedback and participate in the Facility Master Planning process.

On Wednesday, November 19 Plain Local Schools hosted a Community Dialogue Meeting as a part of the Facility Planning process. 

During the meeting, background information and a range of options to address current facility challenges were shared. Over 160 participants had the opportunity to review the options, share feedback, and contribute ideas and solutions.  

At its December 22 meeting, the Plain Local Schools Board of Education received the final facility planning recommendation developed by the district’s Facility Master Planning Steering Committee and took action to move the process forward.

This work began with a comprehensive strategic planning process that identified a clear goal to create a master facility plan that invests in facility improvements supporting student academic and engagement success, staff needs, safety, and long-term community value. The Facility Planning process has been underway for several months and was guided by extensive community input. The work included two community dialogue meetings, four steering committee meetings, and two public surveys. The process was informed by a facilities assessment conducted through the Ohio Facilities Construction Commission (OFCC), along with technical analysis provided by Woolpert and Sol Harris Day Architects.

Throughout the process, families, staff, and community members were encouraged to share feedback to help shape long-term planning for district facilities.

During the Board meeting, Steering Committee Chairs Chris Fogarty and Kelsey Sullivan presented the committee’s final recommendation, which reflects the data, assessments, and community feedback gathered throughout the process. The recommendation calls for a phased approach to facility improvements, with Phase One focused on the construction of three new elementary school buildings.

The Board approved placing a bond issue in the amount of $116,802,000 on the May 2026 ballot, allowing voters to consider funding for the recommended facility plan.

Conversations have started with Plain Township and the City of Canton on potential partnerships.  Grants are available to ensure land is repurposed for the benefit of the community.  All partners are committed to working together to enhance all areas for the community.

If approved by voters, some athletic fields may be temporarily unavailable during construction. The district is committed to working with local youth organizations to help ensure fields remain available for student use whenever possible. As construction progresses, additional sites may become available to develop or replace fields affected during the building process.

The 2026 issue would be billed separately from the current GlenOak High School bonds. If approved, taxpayers would pay the full 3.5 mills for the duration of the issue.

When the GlenOak High School bonds are paid off, taxpayers would see a reduction of approximately 2.1 mills on their tax bill.

This means the total tax rate will change over time as older debt is retired.