Facilities Project

All-day kindergarten is on the way for the Canal Winchester community! Canal Winchester Schools officially broke ground on Wednesday, July 12, on an 18-classroom addition at Indian Trail Elementary, the school's kindergarten through 2nd grade building.

"We are here today not just to celebrate the future ahead of us but also to appreciate the path that brought us here," said Mrs. Monika Talley, Board of Education Vice President, as she welcomed community members to the groundbreaking ceremony. "This project is a credit to all of you and to the value our community places on education that made it possible for the district to fund this addition without asking for additional money from our taxpayers. The Board of Education appreciates your support of our students and our schools and is committed to continuing to make sure that your investment in education is used responsibly to make a difference in the lives of Canal Winchester's children."

The 18-classroom addition at Indian Trail Elementary will allow the district to offer all-day kindergarten beginning in the 2024-2025 school year. Preschool classes will also move from Winchester Trail Elementary to Indian Trail Elementary, creating a center for early learning at Indian Trail. 

“Research has shown the positive impact of all-day kindergarten for our youngest learners, but space limitations have prevented that opportunity for Canal Winchester and many other districts,” said Superintendent Kiya Hunt. “With this addition, we’ll be able to offer all Canal Winchester students the best start possible to their K-12 education.” 

In addition to creating space for all-day kindergarten, the addition will create space for anticipated enrollment growth in kindergarten through 5th grades in the next ten years. 

The district’s partners in the project are Schorr Architects and Construction Manager At-Risk Elford, Inc. Under the construction manager at-risk model, the district and its construction partners agree on a Maximum Guaranteed Price based on estimates of the cost of the project’s plans. The GMP ensures that the project stays within the district’s $14.3 million budget. 

The district was able to fund the entire project without asking taxpayers for additional funding by maintaining a balanced general fund budget and using the district’s cash balance for construction costs.