In November, residents will vote on a levy that, if passed, will fund facilities improvement projects across the district, totaling an estimated cost of $115 million, according to the district’s website. Some elements of the proposed facilities plan, including construction of a new middle school on the current softball field and replacement of grass fields with turf at Montrose and Maryland Elementary, have come under scrutiny. Cubs Outdoor, a group against the elimination of the playfield at Cassingham, has been vocal in its opposition by distributing yard signs, testifying at Board meetings and starting a
petition with 794 signatures as of March 5. While it is certainly admirable that residents are invested in the direction of the district facilities plan, it is critical these efforts do not come at the expense of a much-needed facilities update. If the levy should not pass due to a focus on exterior debates, the outcome would be to the detriment of students.
Whether it be overcrowded communal spaces, outdated classrooms or leaking ceilings, students witness facilities issues at the Cassingham Complex daily. For a district consistently ranked as one of the top in the state, current facilities do not match. A primary issue students face at the Cassingham Complex is overcrowding. Some teachers are left without classrooms due to a lack of space and are forced to use other teachers’ classrooms to instruct during those teachers’ planning periods. This creates an unstable environment where students are unable to locate a teacher should they need assistance. One of the most valued aspects of the district is its faculty, and parents should be concerned about teachers being able to educate in the best conditions.
Outside of the classroom, students are confronted with the disadvantages of sharing a building. Currently, the high school’s lunch period overlaps with Cassingham’s. This drastically limits the amount of seating available in the cafeteria, forcing students to eat in the hallways and on the floor. Many students choose to leave during lunch, which disincentivizes club participation and can have an adverse impact on tardiness.
The same applies to events utilizing the high school theater or gym; currently, careful planning is necessary to prevent double booking between the three schools in the complex. This diminishes students’ experiences, as schools are not able to use facilities to their full potential. Regardless of locality, all students in the district will attend the middle and high school. These students’ daily circumstances should be at the forefront of discussions surrounding facility updates.
One of the biggest criticisms of the proposed facilities plan is the impact on green space, particularly in central Bexley. However, it is not the sole responsibility of the district to provide access to parks and playgrounds. That responsibility also lies with the City of Bexley, which has already shown a sustained commitment to increasing green spaces in the district through its Year of the Parks initiative. There is the potential for a new middle school to coexist with green space at the Cassingham Complex, but these conversations will be nonexistent should the levy fail. Parents with concerns about green spaces must put them aside in order to prioritize the educational environment.
It is important that controversy surrounding facilities planning does not overshadow the quality of students’ academic experiences. Ultimately, those experiences are what define the district and what should be the focus of any decisions regarding facilities.
Published and digitized March 2026.
