The Maintenance and Grounds Department is responsible for maintaining all Amherst school buildings and public spaces. We provide maintenance and repairs to the district's schools, offices, and other facilities. Our goal is to provide a healthy and safe learning environment for all students, staff, and visitors. If you see anything that needs improved or if you have any questions about the facilities or usage, please contact us at 440-988-1923 for more information.
Below is an online Building Use Permit to request the use of one of our facilities. Non-school groups must also submit a Proof of Liability Insurance certificate. Please contact the Treasurer's Office for more information about the Proof of Liability Insurance certificate.
Interested in using a space at Steele High School after hours? Please check the following calendars for possible conflicts before you complete the online Building Use Permit above! Note: Not all high school athletic practices and events are listed on the calendars below.
The AJH Creative Learning Center, high school air conditioning and the new elementary school would not be possible without our supportive community and a major gift from Amherst Schools Educational Foundation. Check out this week's #CometConversation for an update on all three projects from Mr. Chuck Grimmett, our Building and Grounds Supervisor!
For the past year, Amherst Schools has been involved in a very thorough and comprehensive design process for the new Powers Elementary School with architects from GPD Group, who presented some renderings at the board meeting last night.
The first rendering is one of the learning communities and the second rendering depicts student dining. The building will have a learning community for each grade level. Each learning community will have a commons area (with a stage) and it will be surrounded by 11 classrooms, small group areas, and teacher preparation space. We are so excited about what this building will mean for our students, staff, and community!
Shupe Demolition and ASEF First Bite Fundraiser!
Harris Demolition and ASEF First Bite Fundraiser!
In 2015, Amherst Schools hired an independent firm to conduct a community research process that would gather community perceptions about our aging facilities, which drain limited dollars and hinder education. In fact, the Ohio School Facilities Commission (OSFC) found that it would cost nearly the same to replace Powers, Harris, and Shupe with one building as it would to repair them and consolidating buildings would save hundreds of thousands in operating costs. As a result, the state offered to pay 45% of the project cost if the district could pass local funding. Our Facilities Advisory Committee assembled to review this data and recommend a Master Facilities Plan to the Board.
After a community survey testing the committee's recommendation, and after refinancing old debt service from Amherst Junior High for a lower interest rate, the Board decided to pursue a no new tax bond issue to build one new elementary to consolidate and replace our three aging elementary buildings and to renovate building systems at Nord and Steele, especially HVAC. Using conservative estimates, the district's financial team determined this bond would effectively extend the tax rate residents had been paying from the construction of Amherst Junior High through 2041, and it would not raise taxes as long as property values remain at or above their current levels.
We are grateful that our community passed Issue 21 in November 2016 with 65% support!
With strong results from our bond sales in May, the district will also be able to save taxpayer dollars by shortening the number of years they will pay on these bonds. With these final numbers, the entire debt service will be retired in 2038, 3 years earlier than projected.
With 72% community support for our May operating renewal and newly secured financial stability through at least 2021, we can also ensure our buildings are filled with high-quality staff, resources and programs to support our students—and keep taxes among the lowest in Lorain County!
Looking for a quick overview of our facilities progress? Watch the first 15 minutes of Superintendent Sayers' 2017 State of the Schools presentation on April 4, 2017.
Chuck Grimmett is the Building and Grounds Supervisor. Before joining the Amherst Schools administration team, Chuck was the Building Maintenance Superintendent at the Grafton Correctional Complex. Chuck also taught the Building Trades course at the Lorain County Joint Vocational School and ran his family's appliance repair business.
Chuck is an Amherst native and a member of the Steele Class of '78. Chuck and his wife Linda love to camp and travel in their spare time.