Governor Announces State Assistance to Rebuild Tornado-Damaged Lake Local High School
Columbus, OH – Governor Ted Strickland, Superintendent of Public Instruction Deborah Delisle and Ohio School Facilities Director Rich Murray today announced up to $7.3 million in assistance is being made available for Lake Local School District in Lake Township to help cover the costs of rebuilding the local high school after it was destroyed from tornadoes that swept through the area on June 5 and 6.
“All Ohioans can be proud of the way Northwest Ohio pulled together to respond to the devastating tornadoes that swept through their communities this summer,” Strickland said. “I’ve seen firsthand the courage of our young people in the immediate aftermath of the storm, and as Lake Local students are going back to school, we want them to know that we will support them in every way we can. We are committed to providing the best possible facilities for our students because we know that the quality of our classrooms will help determine the quality of their educational experience. I hope that this assistance will help expedite the rebuilding process so Lake Local students have access to their own modern, high-quality high school facility as soon as possible.”
The assistance, to be made available through the Ohio School Facilities Commission and the Ohio Department of Education, will allow the district to start designing the new high school now while they finalize total costs with their insurance companies.
“Our district is pleased to partner with the Ohio School Facilities Commission, the Ohio Department of Education, and the Governor’s Office to use these monies to enhance the education of our students,” said Lake Local Superintendent Jim Witt. “This assistance will go a long way in helping build a new facility for our students.”
The Ohio School Facilities Commission is expected to approve up to $4.8 million from its emergency assistance program at the commission’s meeting tomorrow. These funds will be immediately available to the district to begin the rebuilding process as soon as possible, minimizing the long-term disruption for teachers and students.
“The devastation and loss experienced by the district and the community in this event was simply tragic,” OSFC Director Rich Murray. “I greatly admire the determination and dedication shown by the Lake Local board of education and the district’s administration as they rose above destruction and worked to make this grant happen. We at OSFC are determined to assist this district and I believe the community should know of the efforts made by the district’s leadership.”
The Ohio Department of Education is allocating up to $2.5 million, pending Controlling Board approval.
“In the days and weeks following the devastation caused by the tornado that struck this community there has been an outpouring of support from across the state. School districts have offered buses, individuals have donated supplies and the community has come together in an attempt to restore a sense of normalcy,” said Superintendent of Public Instruction Deborah Delisle. “The Ohio Department of Education is committed to being a partner in this effort. We are prepared to provide the Lake Local School District with up to $2.5 million in additional emergency assistance to ensure that students and teachers have the resources necessary to continue learning. In addition, we will work with the leadership of the school district throughout their recovery efforts to see if we might be able to provide assistance in additional ways.”
The Lake Local School District is the largest employer in Wood County. The district was forced to postpone and move its high school graduation ceremonies because of the tornado damage. Students returning to school tomorrow will attend classes in a former regional building owned by Owens Community College.
The severe tornadoes that swept through Northwest Ohio on June 5 and 6 caused extensive damage to homes, businesses and infrastructure, and resulted in the deaths of six people. Governor Strickland declared a state of emergency for Wood, Fulton and Ottawa counties, and appealed to the federal government for disaster relief assistance.
The U.S. Small Business Administration granted Ohio’s request to issue a disaster declaration for Wood County and contiguous counties, which allows residents who incurred uninsured losses as a result of the tornadoes to apply for long-term, low-interest disaster loans.
