By JENNY DERRINGER
derringer@crescent-news.com
Defiance Catholic School will have a new home at the campus of Anthony Wayne Elementary School, following action taken at Wednesday's Defiance City Board of Education meeting.
Father Tim Kummerer was on hand to make an offer of $250,000 for the school property. Board members promptly took action to approve the sale.
A contract agreement will be drawn up to complete the transaction. The school campus, which covers approximately 9.1 acres, initially had been up for auction earlier in the school year but no bids were received.
Defiance Catholic School serves 154 students in grades pre-k through 6. Though no definite plans have been made for the transition from the St. Mary and St. John campuses, Defiance City Schools students housed at Anthony Wayne Elementary School are not expected to move into the city school district's new elementary facility along Carter Road until Christmas break of the 2008-09 school year.
Defiance Catholic School's facility committee toured Anthony Wayne, Brickell and Spencer schools, looking at classroom space, playground options and parking availability, explained principal Sandy Herman.
"We felt Anthony Wayne was best for us," said Herman. "We think it will allow for future growth, it has handicapped accessibility and will be a safe environment for us to be housed in one building. It will also allow for opportunities of team building, a buddy program and enhanced programming."
Kummerer noted that starting around 1999, the Catholic parochial schools in Defiance began to look at the future of Catholic education. When talk began of Defiance City Schools building a new consolidated elementary school, the Catholic schools started looking at Anthony Wayne.
"It soon became a reality," said Kummerer. "This will be a positive thing for our schools, being able to unite the two campuses."
The Catholic campuses are owned by the parishes, added Herman, so the future vacated buildings will be their responsibility.
"The negotiations were amenable," said Defiance superintendent Mike Struble. "I hope the transaction works out well for both parties. Defiance Catholic School is very important to the community. It will be a win-win situation for all of us."