Akron Public School officials are exploring new options for moving forward with the district’s construction project.
Last week, during a joint meeting of the Akron Board of Education and Akron City Council, Superintendent David James presented five options for configuring the district to incorporate one new high school that could be built using state funding.
All five options presented last week included building a new Garfield High School and closing Kenmore High School and North High School.
In terms of the city’s seven current high schools, the options are:
Option 1: Close Kenmore High School and North High School. Combine Buchtel Community Learning Center and Kenmore High School. North High School moves to Jennings (middle school) as the Bio-Med Academy. East, Ellet and Firestone stay the same.
Option 2: Close Kenmore and North. Combine Firestone and Buchtel. Buchtel becomes a middle school and offers high school career tech programs. Kenmore moves to Innes (middle school). Ellet, East and Garfield stay the same.
Option 3: Close Kenmore and North. Combine Firestone and Buchtel. Buchtel becomes a middle school and offers high school career tech programs. Kenmore moves to Innes. Combine East and North Bio-Med Academy. Ellet and Garfield stay the same.
Option 4: Close Kenmore and North. Combine Buchtel and Kenmore. Combine East and North Bio-Med Academy. Ellet, Firestone and Garfield stay the same.
Option 5: Close Kenmore and North. Combine East and North Bio-Med Academy. Combine Garfield and Kenmore. Buchtel, Ellet and Firestone stay the same.