As part of the district’s facilities plan, Mills Lawn Elementary is being renovated, and the campus of McKinney Middle School and Yellow Springs High School will receive both renovations and new construction.
Upgrades to Mills Lawn, which began last June, include repairing the exterior, gutting and renovating certain classrooms, and improvements to restrooms, and the school’s kitchen. Mills Lawn will also have new offices and a secure lobby at the entrance.
Mills Lawn will house preschool through fourth grade students, as fifth and sixth grade moves to the East Enon campus, joining grades 7-12.
At the East Enon Road campus — just shy of 100,000 square feet — the combined middle and high school will get a new secure vestibule, as well as new band and choir rooms. The band room at Mills Lawn, as well as the round “spaceship” band room at the high school will both be demolished and replaced with updated facilities.
At the East Enon campus, middle school (grades 5-8) and high school will be housed in separate wings connected by a combined commons, cafeteria, and media center. A new 700-seat gym will be used for both middle school and high school.
The original gym and surrounding classrooms will be renovated to serve fifth and sixth grade students in physical education, and as a 350-seat auditorium.
The total cost of the renovation is $55 million, with $46 million of that as the local portion, and over $8 million as the state’s credit.
The budget for renovation and construction at the high school is about $44 million, according to the district.
Yellow Springs High School was originally built in 1963, with additions constructed in 1988 and 2002.
The architect for the project is Ruetschle Architecture, and construction is handled by Conger Construction Group.
The full facilities upgrades project is expected to be completed in 2026, and an asset sale is planned for April 5.
“Designed to embody our Yellow Springs values, supporting and nurturing all students on their educational journey, fostering harmony with the environment, and integrating the arts into core learning, this state-of-the-art facility will not only be an innovative educational environment but also a vibrant hub for community gatherings,” Superintendent Terri Holden said at a groundbreaking in February.
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