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Get an inside look at the inspiring stories, innovative initiatives, and expert insights shaping Ohio’s schools. Each month, Spotlight on Success will highlight the achievements of OSC and its member districts, sharing strategies, triumphs, and lessons that can spark ideas in your own district. Don’t miss the chance to celebrate the people and programs making a real difference in education across Ohio!

When East Palestine City Schools began exploring facility and energy improvements in the spring of 2025, district leaders faced familiar challenges. Aging infrastructure, limited capital resources, and the need to act quickly shaped early discussions. What changed the district’s direction was a data-driven energy assessment that clarified priorities and opened the door to new opportunities through cooperative partnerships.

A Strong Start Under New Leadership

Superintendent Dr. James Rook was in his first year leading East Palestine City Schools when the district began evaluating HVAC systems and overall energy efficiency.

“With limited resources, we have to be strategic about every decision we make,” Rook said. “We needed a solution that would move quickly, save money, and improve conditions for our students.”

That clarity came through a comprehensive energy assessment conducted with support from Gardiner, a long-standing partner experienced in supporting Ohio K-12 districts. The audit identified multiple energy savings projects and confirmed that East Palestine City Schools would be a strong candidate for competitive grant funding.

For a district with limited financial flexibility, the assessment eliminated upfront consulting costs while delivering actionable, data-backed recommendations that shaped next steps.

Turning OSC Membership into Opportunity

The energy audit drove every decision that followed. Its findings demonstrated measurable projected energy savings, positioning the district as an attractive applicant for the Advanced Energy Fund administered by the Ohio Department of Development.

Gardiner guided district leadership through the grant-writing process, helping translate audit data into a strong, grant-ready application and reducing the administrative burden on staff.

“The process felt manageable because we weren’t doing it alone,” Rook said. “Having a partner who understood both the technical side and the funding requirements made a real difference.”

The completed audit fulfilled a key requirement of the Advanced Energy Fund application and gave East Palestine City Schools a competitive advantage in a statewide grant round.

By joining the Ohio Schools Council in June 2025, East Palestine City Schools gained access to a pre-bid, pre-negotiated HVAC contract aligned with the audit scope. While the audit drove strategy and funding, this cooperative contract strengthened the application by demonstrating readiness to implement once funding was secured.

From Opportunity to Action

East Palestine City Schools was awarded $1.36 million through the Advanced Energy Fund based on demonstrated need and projected savings.

Once the grant was approved, the district moved forward without delay. With scope and pricing already established through the cooperative HVAC contract, implementation began immediately.

“Time is critical for our students and our schools,” Rook said.

“With Gardiner’s help, we were ready to act immediately.”

The project includes a districtwide LED lighting retrofit, Building Automation System upgrades, and real-time building analytics across all school buildings and the Board of Education facility. These improvements are projected to reduce energy usage by more than 7,000 MMBtu annually, representing a 70 to 72 percent reduction and more than $111,000 in annual utility savings.

A Partnership Built Around the School Day

Gardiner managed the project from grant support through installation, coordinating schedules to minimize disruption while improving comfort, air quality, and system control.

“Our team understood that this project was about more than energy savings,” said David Smith, who leads Gardiner’s K-12 efforts across Ohio. “It was about helping a district move quickly and make informed decisions.”

Discovering the Full Value of OSC Membership

Following the project’s success, East Palestine City Schools has continued exploring additional cooperative purchasing opportunities, including the OSC Bus Purchasing Program.

“Once we saw how effective this model was, it made sense to explore what else was available,” Rook said. “The value goes well beyond a single project.”

Why Membership Matters

For East Palestine City Schools, membership provided access to expertise, no-cost planning tools, and funding opportunities that would have been difficult to secure independently.

In a district where 100 percent of students qualify for free meals, the ability to leverage a data-driven audit, trusted partners, and cooperative contracting created a clear path from evaluation to action.

East Palestine’s experience shows how Ohio Schools Council membership can help districts move quickly and strategically, delivering lasting benefits for students, staff, and the community.