Ottawa Hills nearing completion of high school renovations
Students return to class Tuesday!
OTTAWA HILLS, Ohio — This week in Northwest Ohio, many students are returning to the classroom. And that includes students at Ottawa Hills High School — they’re returning tomorrow! With all the renovations that have been made, students are going to be quite surprised.
“An idea that started with parents and students about two years ago has transpired into what you see here, and we couldn’t be more excited to be opening it tomorrow for our kids,” said Adam Fineske, superintendent of Ottawa Hills Local Schools.
Looking at it now, the renovated, well I guess you could say expanded high school, offers some cutting edge technology, added student support, and even amenities that many schools just don’t offer.
The Foundry, as it’s called, includes a cafe, private rooms, and collaborative spaces.
“They will be able to be in this space before school, starting at 7 a.m., throughout the evening every night- it’ll be open from 3 to 8 p.m. for kids to come and get supports academically, social-emotionally, and — even if they’re hungry — be able to stop at the Steam Cafe for a snack or a coffee or a smoothie. It’s really gonna be the place to be for our Ottawa Hills kids,” Fineske explained.
In addition to that refreshed space, a 360º room that takes your average white board discussion and turns it into an engaging lesson.
“We will be the only high school, in the country, to have one of these facilities within our walls of our high school,” he noted.
And while the Foundry may have been the bulk of the project, additional renovations are being made to other parts of the building. From the art room to a science lab that was funded in-part by ProMedica, students will have the ability to utilize technology only seen on college campuses. And they’ll be doing so alongside professors, in partnership with both the University of Toledo and Bowling Green State University.
“We will welcome over 500 Green Bears back into school tomorrow,” Fineske added. “I don’t know that they’ll think they’re in Ottawa Hills. I think it’s so different than what our school has looked like for so many years.”
This $8.5 million renovation project was funded by a bond issue voters approved in November 2020, as well as $1.5 million in private donations.
