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The Firelands Local School District was officially formed in 1952 with the
consolidation of the Brownhelm, Camden, Florence and Henrietta school
districts. The organizational meeting of the new Firelands Local School
District was held on January 7, 1952, at the Henrietta School. The total
district enrollment was just under 1,000 students.
Formal action taken at that meeting included designating the Kipton Bank Co. as
the local depository to the maximum amount of $40,000 and hiring E. J. May as
Clerk of the district for one year at a salary of $1,200. Also approved was
payment to the board members of $3 per meeting attended, not to exceed 12
meetings per year. The general fund budget for the district in 1952 was
$161,938.65 and the starting salary for a teacher with a bachelor’s degree was
$2,600.
On November 4, 1952, the residents of the newly formed district approved a
4.7257 mill bond issue to build a new fireproof high school. Bonds totaling
$664,000 were issued in January 1953 and bids for the new building were
approved on May 1, 1953. A formal dedication and open house of the new building
was held on November 21, 1954. The first class to graduate from Firelands High
School was the class of 1955, with 43 students.
A new middle school was completed in 1962 to house grades six, seven and eight.
As the district continued to grow, additions were made to both the high school
and middle school in 1971. This allowed grade five to be added to the middle
school. At this time the student enrollment had grown to over 1,950.
Throughout the 70’s and 80’s, the student enrollment declined along with the
conditions of the old elementary buildings, which had not seen any major
renovation since the early 1930’s. By 1985 it was decided that the district
needed to replace the three old elementary buildings and a 6.5 mill bond issue
was placed on the November 5th ballot in hopes of building a new elementary.
The issue failed along with two additional attempts in 1986.
The late 1980’s found many school districts in financial straits, including the
neighboring district of South Amherst. After many failed levy attempts, the
South Amherst Board of Education began discussing the possibility of merging
with one of their neighboring districts. On December 14, 1987, the Firelands
Board of Education approved a resolution of intent to accept the transfer of
territory of the South Amherst Local School district into the Firelands Local
School District.
A joint meeting of the two boards of education was held on January 13, 1988, at
the Lorain County Joint Vocational School to discuss the proposed merger. A
petition opposing the merger was circulated in the South Amherst district and
the issue was placed on the ballot in March 1988. The ballot issue opposing the
merger failed and the merger took place July 1, 1988.
A major reorganization then took place in the summer of 1988 allowing the
district to close its three old elementary buildings, Brownhelm, Camden and
Florence. Those buildings were then sold to their respective township trustees.
In December 1997, the board purchased 105 acres of land that lies to the north
and east of the current high school and elementary. The land was purchased with
the hopes of one day having a single campus for the district.
As the district enrollment was on the rise again in the 90’s, additions were
built on the high school and elementary buildings. Recent external evaluations
of our district facilities and a local community committee have recommended to
the board of education that we consider new facility development.
As we begin the 2005-06 school year our student enrollment is just under 2,100,
and our general fund budget has grown to over 15 million dollars.
What do the next 50 years have in store for the Firelands Local School
District? Why not join us and find out!
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