The Board of Education received a comprehensive construction update on November 12th that revealed the district's major building projects are nearing completion—on time and under budget.
Natatorium: From 8 Lanes to 10 Lanes of Possibility
What began as plans for an 8-lane, 16,000 square foot facility has evolved into a 10-lane, 21,000 square foot natatorium that construction manager Mike Dingledine described as a "gateway building to the city of Worthington."
The pool's design, developed with input from student swim teams, coaches, and SwimInc Executive Director Kurt Carmen, features several innovations that address longstanding scheduling challenges. Previously, swimmers, divers, and water polo players had to take turns—pulling lane lines, flipping diving boards up and down between activities. In the new facility, all three activities can happen simultaneously.
The pool configuration includes eight competition lanes in deep water with dedicated starting blocks, two diving wells with one-meter boards, a full-depth water polo competition area, and a shallow training lane for swim instruction and lessons.
Emily Greenwald, who serves on the SwimInc board, reminded attendees that SwimInc—a nonprofit, community-run organization that has partnered with Worthington for over 70 years—operates the district's pools. The natatorium serves not only the high school swim, dive, and water polo teams but also offers lap swimming, masters swimming and water polo, water aerobics, group and private swim lessons, the Worthington Swim Club for elementary and middle school students, and lifeguard certification courses.
Board members reported positive feedback from water polo families, with one of the district's teams nearly winning a state championship this season in the new facility.
Thomas Worthington: The Core Opens This Week
Perhaps the most exciting news of the evening: students at Thomas Worthington High School will gain access to the building's new central core this week.
Dingledine used a memorable analogy to describe Principal Josh Clark's experience: "Tomorrow he gets to push open the door to Willy Wonka's chocolate factory, because the core of the building, area C we call it, is very exciting."
The new spaces include:
Student Commons: A dramatic two-story gathering space with abundant natural light, featuring the same design philosophy that made Kilbourne's commons successful. The space offers a variety of seating options—high tables, benches, couches, and tucked-away nooks—designed so every student can find a space where they can thrive.
A custom Cardinal logo has been cut into the LVT flooring at the intersection of what Dingledine calls "High Street and Main Street"—the building's central crossroads where student academics and commons meet athletics and fine arts.
Media Center: Located on the second floor overlooking the student commons, the new media center includes various furniture solutions and private rooms where students can work in small groups.
Outdoor Student Commons: A secure outdoor space directly connected to the indoor commons, providing fresh air gathering space for students.
Additional Restrooms: With the core opening, nine additional full-size restrooms become available—a significant improvement for students who have been using only the front building's restrooms since construction began.
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Kilbourne: Final Phase Underway
Kilbourne High School is currently in Phase 8, the final phase of its renovation. Key spaces are coming online in stages:
- End of November: Additional spaces (timing weather-dependent)
- December 1: Auxiliary gym and auditorium
- December 24: Weight room, balcony, outdoor terrace, media center, and front student services offices
- Spring 2025: Music addition, Memorial Plaza, and Black Box Theater upgrades
The district is also exploring branded signage for the front of Kilbourne, including potentially backlit block letters on the tower above the auditorium.
Timeline: What's Coming at Thomas Worthington
- March 2025: Baseball and softball fields with turf infields playable
- Spring 2025: Theater, music, and band rooms (schedule being finalized)
- After demolition: Fine Arts entrance and parking
- Summer 2025: Front lawn restoration and auxiliary gym restoration
Under Budget
Dingledine confirmed that the entire project remains under budget—"really good news, because a lot of things happened in the last three years." This has created room to consider additional improvements, such as upgrades to Kilbourne's baseball and softball facilities to match what Thomas is receiving, and the memorial walkway projects at both schools.
Board members expressed gratitude to the construction team, with Board President Kelli Davis particularly praising Treasurer TJ Cusick for "watching the dollars" throughout the project.
Safety Remains a Priority
Board Vice President Epling-Skinner raised two safety concerns from her experience as a Kilbourne parent. First, she noted that lighting in the breezeway leading to the athletic fields had been very dark during football season. Dingledine indicated the team would investigate whether lights had been temporarily shut off during construction and ensure they're restored.
Second, Epling-Skinner referenced a situation where some doors at Kilbourne had been found not latching properly. Dingledine confirmed that Ruscilli Construction has a full-time person walking around checking hardware, verifying key fobs work, and resetting anything that isn't functioning. The district is also upgrading security components at Thomas that were installed in the front wing to ensure compatibility with newer systems in the back wing.
Looking Ahead
The completion of Thomas Worthington and Kilbourne renovations means both high schools will offer comparable facilities—from student commons to athletic fields. As Dingledine put it: "Things in terms of equity will never be closer than when these two buildings get finished."
The next construction update is expected in spring 2025, when the music rooms and auditorium completion at Thomas can be showcased.