Parma City School District Consolidation Plan

PARMA, Ohio (WJW) — The City of Parma School District unveiled a new district consolidation plan to the school board Thursday night.

“We narrowed it down to two options. Four elementary schools with two secondary campuses or four elementary schools, two self-contained middle schools and a high school,” Superintendent Charles Smialek said.

Smialek said the district recommends the 4-2-1 model where Parma, Normandy and Valley Forge high schools combine into one.

“It’s a very difficult decision. We have often said that if there was a perfect plan, we would have adopted it decades ago,” Smialek said.

It’s a plan with a deadline. It must be approved by the board of directors and presented to the State before March 31.

“After that, Ohio State will give us the final price. We don’t have to decide if it goes to the November ballot until July,” Smialek said.

Smialek said the district remains optimistic despite Parma voters strongly rejecting a proposed school tax less than a year ago.

This time around, it would cost homeowners around $22 per month for $100,000 of home value.

The state will pay for 37% of construction and if voters decide not to impose a new currency, Smialek said.
district will be forced to consolidate anyway.

“We know that consolidation is part of our future. We want to consolidate in new schools, not consolidate in older schools with problems. It would cost $215 million just to fix the old schools,” Smialek said.