The Twinsburg Board of Education held their regular meeting on Wednesday, April 2, 2025, at the Twinsburg Government Center, where they approved several significant land agreements related to the district’s “Tiger Legacy” project, which includes plans for a new PreK-6 elementary school building.
Student Recognitions
The meeting began with student recognitions from several schools. Wilcox Primary School Principal Mrs. Turner presented six students with “Rocks” awards, acknowledging them for exemplifying responsibility, respect, caring, and safety. Students from George G. Dodge Intermediate School were recognized by a newly formed boys group led by Assistant Principal Tyler Six, with members Ash McAllister, Eric Chen, and Cameron Reed introducing recipients. Twinsburg High School Principal Mrs. Laura Hebert recognized students for their outstanding involvement in the PBIS committee and other school activities.
Tiger Legacy Project Unveiled
During her report, Superintendent Kathi Powers revealed the full details of the revised Tiger Legacy project, presenting renderings of the proposed new elementary school for the first time. The project has been modified based on community feedback following the failed November bond issue, which was defeated by just 431 votes.
Powers explained the new plan includes a significant land swap agreement with the City of Twinsburg, where the district will trade the Dodge School campus for a 28-acre wooded lot between Ravenna Road and Chamberlin Road. The city plans to use the Dodge property to expand their maintenance facility.
“We are absolutely delighted and most grateful to the city of Twinsburg,” Powers stated. “It is because of a strong partnership with city council and Mayor Sam Scaffide that we are so excited that there will be a land swap agreement.”
New School Design
The new PreK-6 school will be organized into “houses” based on grade levels: preschool and kindergarten, first and second grade, third and fourth grade, and fifth and sixth grade. The building will feature shared spaces in the middle section.
The project includes carefully designed traffic flow solutions with separate paths for buses and parent vehicles. “Parents and buses will enter off of Chamberlin Road and buses will exit off of Chamberlin Trail,” Powers explained. “That separates the bus traffic from the car traffic… This plan will then take care of that problem with the crowdedness of cross traffic.”
Business Manager Matt Strickland addressed environmental concerns about the wooded lot, explaining that modern building codes require proper storm drainage and water mitigation. He noted that the district plans to help alleviate existing drainage problems for neighboring condominiums.
Athletic Facilities Relocation
The plan also includes relocating athletic facilities. The varsity baseball field will move from the Dodge campus to behind Twinsburg High School, where the current JV/9th grade field is located. The JV/9th grade field will be relocated to in front of R.B. Chamberlin Middle School.
Powers noted that Hoon softball field will be upgraded to comply with Title IX requirements and Tiger Stadium will undergo renovations including new turf, track surface, bleachers, LED lighting, sound system, Wi-Fi connectivity, concession areas, locker rooms, restrooms, and enhanced safety features.
Financial Details
Treasurer Julia Rozsnyai presented the financial details for the upcoming bond issue. The project cost is $97 million, down from the previous $117 million proposal. The bond rate will be 3.84 mills compared to the previous 4.27 mills, with a 36-year term and an estimated 5% interest rate.
For property owners, this translates to approximately $135 per year for a home appraised at $100,000, compared to $149 in the previous proposal.
Rozsnyai noted that the district has an excellent credit rating of double-A2, with only eight schools in Northeast Ohio having a higher rating.
Additional Land Agreements
The board approved three significant land agreements, all contingent upon the passage of the May 6 bond levy:
- A land swap with the City of Twinsburg, trading the Dodge school campus for the 28-acre property where the new school will be built.
- An agreement with Chamkaur Hans and his family to exchange 2.6 acres of their property for the current Board of Education office on Ravenna Road, which will provide the main access point to the new school from Chamberlin Road.
- A purchase agreement with Scott and Donna Depew for their property at 9689 Chamberlin Trail for $515,000, which will serve as the bus exit point.
Board President Mrs. Tina Davis publicly thanked the Hans family for their partnership, noting that Anup Hans is a graduate of Twinsburg High School, as is his sister, and they “really feel that this is their chance to partner with the board and give back to the community.”
Community Concerns
During the remonstrance portion of the meeting, three community members addressed the board with concerns:
Carol Al and Vince Falconer spoke about their concerns regarding potential cuts to diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives in the district. Al, a preschool teacher with 19 students including nine English language learners representing six different languages and seven cultures, expressed worry about possible rollbacks of DEI programs due to federal funding concerns.
Cory Murphy, a resident of Chamberlin Trail, raised concerns about the environmental impact of building on the wooded lot, mentioning riparian overlays, wetlands, and water quality issues that weren’t being fully disclosed to the public. He questioned the rush to approve the new plan and asked about impacts to wells, air quality, and noise pollution for neighboring properties.
Board President Davis assured attendees that community concerns would be addressed and posted on the district’s website. Regarding DEI concerns, she clarified that “nothing has been made” and that the district’s Opportunity Community Committee is “looking at things before we make any decisions as a district.”
Other Board Actions
The board also approved several routine items:
- The purchase of Go Math! curriculum materials for Wilcox Primary School ($22,399.65), Samuel Bissell Elementary School ($22,974.00), and George G. Dodge Intermediate School ($31,589.25), all with one-year licenses
- A $27,500 purchase of Paradigm Cyber Program for the Cyber Security 1 course at Twinsburg High School
- Changes to the Akron Children’s Hospital agreement to include nursing services for overnight field trips
- The first reading of numerous revised board policies, including a new policy on artificial intelligence
Strategic Plan Updates
The meeting also included presentations on the district’s strategic plan for the third quarter, focusing on 21st century teaching and learning, communications, safety, and finance. Highlights included:
- A demonstration by music teacher Elizabeth Myworm showing how literacy is being integrated into music lessons for kindergarten and first-grade students, including sign language instruction
- Physical education teacher Jolann Case presented on implementing literacy in PE classes, showing how vocabulary terms are taught using the Frayer model and how student comprehension improved
- Updates on artificial intelligence integration, with plans for district-wide “AI days” in the 2025-26 school year
- A safety report on the use of metal detectors at Twinsburg High School, which have moved from morning searches to random classroom checks using mobile open gate towers
Next Steps
The 3.84 mill bond levy will appear on the May 6, 2025 ballot. The district plans to host tours of a similar PreK-5 elementary school in Broadview Heights on April 10th and 17th for interested community members who want to see a comparable facility.
Superintendent Powers encouraged community members with questions about the project to reach out to Mr. Strickland, herself, or board members. “We are very delighted to engage with you and to answer any questions that you might have about the project,” she stated.
The next regular meeting of the Twinsburg Board of Education is scheduled for Wednesday, April 16, 2025, at 6:30 p.m. at the Twinsburg Government Center
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