COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) -- Columbus City Schools is in the process of deciding which school buildings will be closed, consolidated or remain the same. This could come as early as fall 2025.
The superintendent of CCS put together a task force earlier this year to help research and give recommendations on what the district should do. The task force came up with six different scenarios and presented them last week. Ever since, they’ve been holding community forums to hear how the public feels.
On Tuesday morning, community members met at Community Grounds Coffee House in South Columbus for another forum; this one in the form of a gallery walk where people could see each plan up close and view an interactive map.
The deputy superintendent of academics at CCS Kathryn Moser said they’ve had a lot of people show up to these forums to give insightful feedback and ask important questions. “They are very much interested if a school is consolidated where the students will go and we are receiving some questions about transportation,” said Moser.
Moser said both task force members and CCS staff have been excited to answer questions, hear concerns and gather suggestions. “It means that they are invested in the education of the students of Columbus. That’s what we want. It’s good to see people come out to give feedback,” said Moser.
CCS will host more community forums before they go back to the drawing board to come up with a plan based on the input from the public. There is one at 9:30 a.m. Wednesday at Barnett Recreation Center Gymnasium and another at 5:30 p.m. on Wednesday at Whetstone High School.
Three more are happening on Thursday: a virtual session at 11:30 a.m. and gallery walks at Olde Orchard Elementary School and Briggs High School at 5:30 p.m. Learn more about the superintendent’s task force and their goals by clicking here.
