North High School opened its doors Sunday evening to the public, welcoming all who were curious about the state of the 93-year-old original building.
In a classroom utilized daily by pre-kindergarten students, tubs catch rusty water leaking from above in pipes. The cause of the leak, said Principal Chuck Morrison, is a rundown HVAC system.
Temperatures vary widely from classroom to classroom and floor to floor. The older section of the building, built in 1931, doesn’t have central air conditioning. Window units serve as stand-ins. They’re serviceable measures during summer months, but, come wintertime, they make for drafty classrooms.
Morrison said the building’s boilers had a 25-year life expectancy when they were installed in 1991. Only one is currently working.
Basic repairs are far from simple. Asbestos in floor tiles, walls and even some ceilings mean repairs or maintenance on these portions of the building require the involvement of a remediation company because of possible health hazards. The roof has long been a problem, with new leaks forming in places that have yet to be patched.
And the building smells, said Kim Sheets, a 1978 graduate of the high school who attended Sunday’s open house.
“One thing I did notice when you walk in the old part,” Sheets said, “it smells like mold.”
Sunday’s open house drew a small crowd of students, concerned citizens and alumni who reminisced over past classes and academic awards. They also discussed the district’s levy with school officials, including several board members and Superintendent Michael Robinson.
Starting Tuesday, Oct. 8, voters will decide the future of North High School with early voting. Election Day on Nov. 5 is less than a month away.
The school is home to nearly 1,000 Akron students in grades 9-12, along with two pre-K classrooms.
If approved: How much will Issue 27 cost Akron voters?
Issue 27 — two levies combined into a single ballot measure — will cost an additional $311.50 annually for Akron homeowners whose homes are valued at $100,000. A single vote will approve both the operating and the construction levies.
One levy included in the measure will be a 7.6-mill operating levy that will raise $25.7 million annually and cost homeowners with an appraised value of more than $100,000 an additional $266 each year. The second 1.3-mill levy for a new North High School would raise $4.4 million annually for 35 years to pay back an $85 million bond. This would be an additional $45.50 each year for homeowners with a home valued at $100,000.
Former North High School teacher: ‘Hasn’t changed since I was here 30 years ago’
Adam Motter, the district’s social studies learning specialist, taught at North High School early in his career. Motter said the building isn’t suited for modern learners, especially with students working on computers and online.
One classroom, he said, has only three power outlets in the room.
“It hasn’t changed since I was here 30 years ago, it’s exactly the same,” said Motter, who, in his spare time, advocates for the levy.