THE PLAINS, Ohio — At the Athens City School Board of Education’s regular meeting Thursday, Sept. 17, a parent asked the district to remediate water runoff that has repeatedly flooded her home.
Sophia Wilson, a resident of The Plains and parent of district students, said that the flooding has worsened since construction for the new Athens High School began. She asked the board to remediate the runoff to avoid major foundation damage to her home.
In 2023, city school district voters passed a $24 million bond issue to support the construction of a new school. The bond will be repaid over 30 years through an annual property tax levy.
Superintendent Chad Springer said at the meeting that the building’s estimated completion date is Feb. 7, 2027.
Wilson expressed support for the new school, as she has two kids currently attending Athens High School. The board did not immediately respond to Wilson’s comments at the meeting.
When emailed directly, Superintendent Chad Springer told the Independent, “I spoke with Mr. and Mrs. Wilson after the meeting. I informed them that we have a construction meeting this coming Thursday where I want to discuss the issues with our CMR [Construction Manager at Risk]. I also informed them that the Board has recently invested $50,000 in improvements to our drainage. We had agreed to touch base and arrange a meeting in approximately two weeks.”
The construction manager the district is working with is Ruscilli Construction Co., LLC, an employee-owned construction firm based in Dublin, Ohio, Springer said.
Also at the Sept. 17 meeting, the superintendent shared updates on the new school’s construction, electrical vehicle charging stations, and a future Athens High School solar panel project.
The Sustainable Ohio Public Energy Council’s funds for the district’s EV charging stations are currently frozen, so Springer is currently working out cost analysis, and seeking alternative funding, he said.
Springer said the Athens High School solar project is still moving forward and projected costs for the project have been significantly reduced. Current estimates on the project are $798,255.
Springer also added an update on the district’s flag football considerations. It’s estimated the program may still be two to three years down the road, as bussing logistics and regional participation are currently complicated.
Board of Education Vice President Rusty Rittenhouse reported on a change to allergy medication legislation in Ohio schools.
House Bill 462, recently signed into law by Gov. Mike DeWine, allows for school personnel and students with parental permission to carry and use nasal spray epinephrine and other U.S. Food and Drug Administration-approved delivery methods for the treatment of severe allergic reactions. Previously, schools and students were limited to the use of EpiPens.
Springer also mentioned a new attendance law for the 2026–2027 school year, which will shift from punitive response to early intervention. The policy also authorizes school districts to decide for themselves when it’s appropriate to pursue legal action for truancy.
Springer said the new law affects funding, but did not go into detail. He said he expects changes will be evident after the start of the 2027–2028 school year.
The Athens City School Board of Education meets the third Thursday of each month. Its next meeting is slated for 6:30 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 15 at the Athens City School District Office, 21 Birge Drive, Chauncey.
