The Comprehensive Plan Steering Committee met in Village Hall last evening and received the latest draft of the updated plan from Poggemeyer Design Group. The comprehensive plan update is a joint effort of the Village of Granville and Granville Township.
During the discussion of the latest draft, Scot Prebles, Granville Schools Superintendent, and member of the committee, ask the Poggemeyer planners how potential sites for new schools are indicated on the maps. Not specific sites, of course, but in general.
The planners responded that rather than indicate school sites, they would place new schools in any of the designated open-space areas. Then, without hesitation, the planners indicated that a new school should be located south of Route 16. That’s where new population growth is occurring and that’s the logical place for the next new school.
I think it’s obvious that our school system will need a new school within a few years. Planning should begin now. Our School Board and we citizens must understand the need for a new school. We must look at enrollment projections, decide what kind of a school we need, and estimate costs for the school. All of this should be done out in the open with as much public involvement as possible.
Perhaps the first order of business is to decide to stop concentrating all of the schools, all of the students, all of the school buses, and all of the teachers’ and parents’ cars in the complex north of the village. It just makes no sense and is already causing serious traffic problems on Pearl Street every morning and afternoon.
But, most importantly, building a huge complex makes no sense from the point of view of what’s best for the children. At least in the elementary grades, experts agree that smaller, neighborhood schools are best (See: Education Resources).
I think it’s time for Granville to have at least two elementary schools with one of them south of Route 16.