During the Board of Education meeting on March 16, Olentangy Local Schools Superintendent, Wade Lucas, Ed.D., announced the final solution for an overcrowding problem that exists at Olentangy Orange Middle School (OOMS). The design capacity at OOMS is 900 students. The school is already housing 1,035 students and the projected enrollment for the 2010-11 school year is expected to be more than 1,100 students. Olentangy Berkshire Middle School (OBMS) is currently under construction and will open during the 2011-12 school year. Once this school opens, new attendance boundaries, that have already been selected, will take affect and OOMS student enrollment numbers will return to a more appropriate level.
“OOMS has an overcrowding problem that must be address in order to maintain appropriate learning environments for every student,” said Lucas.
The district held multiple student, parent and staff member meetings regarding three possible options that moved a partial or complete grade level of OOMS students at Olentangy Orange High School (OOHS) for the 2010-11 school year. After reviewing more than 739 paper and online feedback forms, Lucas decided to house approximately 150 OOMS sixth grade students who will attend OBMS for their seventh grade year at OOHS for next school year.
“While no solution is perfect, I believe that this option is the best solution available for students and our community at this time,” said Lucas. This options was also the preferred choice for each of the student, parent, staff member and online feedback groups.
Additional information related to the OOMS overcrowding situation, including a frequently asked questions document, is available online at www.olentangy.k12.oh.us/buildings/ooms/index.html