Marion Local Schools and Garmann Miller shared how a community-first mindset can transform master facility planning at the recent 2025 Buckeye Association of School Administrators (BASA) Conference. Superintendent Mike Pohlman joined GM’s Matt Hibner, Monica Bruaw, and Doug Rentz to present “Flip the Script: A Community-first Approach to Master Facility Planning.”

Starting with Transparency and Trust

Rather than beginning with preconceived solutions, Marion Local opened its entire planning process to the community. A diverse Facilities Task Force, paired with district-wide engagement, created an environment where residents, staff, and board members shaped decisions together.

“It was extremely important for our board of education and administration to gain insight on the facility priorities that our community desired,” Pohlman said. “Garmann Miller was able to develop the “For You, By You” approach to lead and facilitate a successful planning process with our task force committee.”

A clear meeting timeline, open forums, and consistent communication, through newsletters, social media, and a dedicated facilities webpage, built trust and kept the community informed at every milestone. Tools like exit tickets, community meetings, and priority-setting exercises ensured all voices were heard and documented.

Superintendent Mike Pohlman (left) engages with community members during a planning session

A Collaborative Process

Using GM’s “For You, By You” process, which includes the Define–Discover–Develop framework, the district and community worked through needs, data, and options in an intentional sequence:

• Define: Participants shared hopes and concerns, establishing values-based priorities.
• Discover: The group reviewed facility conditions, enrollment projections, curriculum needs, and funding realities.
• Develop: Small-group activities helped refine concepts without predetermined outcomes, ensuring solutions aligned with community expectations.

This hands-on approach, visible throughout the presentation’s images and charts, created a shared understanding of challenges and possibilities.

A Plan Shaped by the Community

By the time Marion Local moved into developing options, the community had already laid the groundwork. Priorities were clear. Concerns were acknowledged. Data was understood. The resulting direction reflects not only what the district needs, but what the community collectively believes is right for its future.

After a bond issue was passed in a resounding result in November 2023, the Flyers’ hopes of bringing new spaces of learning came to fruition. The addition will feature 11 junior high classrooms, a kitchen, commons area, central office, gymnasium with locker rooms, and an agricultural suite with a greenhouse. The district hopes to occupy the building for the 2026-2027 school year.

Families, students, and community members showed their support

A Model for Districts Across Ohio

The session underscored a simple truth: when communities help write the script, the planning process becomes stronger, more transparent, and more sustainable. Marion Local’s experience serves as an example of how districts can build meaningful consensus—one conversation at a time.

Marion Local Middle School rendering