Olentangy Local School officials broke ground June 1 on the district’s fifth high school, this one located in Delaware city.
District leaders, board of education members, Delaware County and city leaders gathered at the intersection of Bunty Station Road and Sawmill Parkway for the ceremony.
Construction on the high school is expected to begin in the coming weeks, and the building will open in fall 2028.
The 300,000-square-foot high school will feature outdoor athletics facilities, and indoor amenities including an 800-seat auditorium, main and auxiliary gyms, weight room, media center, commons and a café.
Board President Brandon Lester told The Dispatch that adding new schools provides more opportunities for students. In the case of high schools, he said, that could mean more space open on sports teams or plays, for example, while also addressing overcrowding in one of the state’s fastest-growing districts and the fourth largest district in the state.
Olentangy currently has about 7,600 students in its four existing high schools and a total of about 23,890 students in K-12, plus more than 670 other students in preschool.
“You know that at Olentangy, you’re going to have a wonderful school no matter what,” Lester said. “So I think it’s something to be really excited about – it shows the growth in our community.”
Lester added that growth “doesn’t happen by accident,” pointing to the high marks the district receives on its state report card evaluations.
“I think what people see is that the level of effort that we put in to try and make sure that our schools are the best they can possibly be,” Lester said.
On Nov. 4, Olentangy voters approved a $235 million bond levy, with 56% of voters in favor of the proposal. The district will use the bond money to build the fifth high school, its 18th elementary school and improve some of its current facilities or build new ones.
Superintendent Todd Meyer thanked the community for choosing to invest in the district, comparing today’s work to the work from the 1950s to get the original school district in the area off the ground.
“The dedication and loyalty of our community to come together and rally around our school communities is as strong now as it was back then,” Meyer said. “And we remain incredibly thankful to our volunteers that are voices in the community to ensure these building needs become a reality for our students.”
The district broke ground in March on its 18th elementary school, which was later named Deer Haven Elementary School. It is expected to open in August 2027.
As with Deer Haven, the fifth high school will be named at a later date after community input and board approval.
Cole Behrens covers K-12 education and school districts in central Ohio. Have a tip? Contact Cole at cbehrens@dispatch.com or connect with him on X at @Colebehr_report
This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: Olentangy Local, state’s 4th largest school district, breaks ground on 5th HS
Reporting by Cole Behrens, Columbus Dispatch / The Columbus Dispatch
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