Editor
The new West Clermont High School will include a HealthPlex, another way the district is working to make the high school a place not just for students, but for the entire community.
Superintendent Keith Kline announced the plans at the board of education meeting on August 17.
“We’re very excited about this because it’s going to be a tremendous opportunity to bring our communities into that site and be part of what we’re building,” Kline said.
The HealthPlex is going to be a 20,000 square foot addition to the high school. It will be similar to a recreation center, with features like weight and cardio equipment, a pool and a group exercise studio, and will be connected to the high school, Kline said.
The second floor of the HealthPlex will have 3,500 square feet of medical office space. The offices will be used for primary care during the day and urgent care at night, Kline said.
The HealthPlex is a partnership with Mercy Health, which West Clermont has partnered with in the past. It is also a partnership with Midtown Health, who will manage the day-to-day operations. Midtown Health already partners with Mercy Health, Kline said.
“It’s a phenomenal opportunity to unite both the community and the schools,” said board president John Bantjes.
The school will be able to close off different areas of the recreation area based on the school’s needs during the day, such as if a class was swimming, Kline said.
“This is such an innovative and fantastic idea,” said Gayle Heintzelman, the site administrator at Clermont Hospital.
Heintzelman feels it fits in well with their goal to be embedded in the community and to help the community be well.
“We’re very excited to be a part of this,” said Mike Combs, executive director of HealthPlex Administration with Midtown Health.
Midtown Health runs all the HealthPlexs for Mercy, in addition to 18 other HealthPlexs, Combs said.
Taxpayers have asked Kline to find innovative ways to use their money, and Kline feels he has done that with this HealthPlex.
In addition to the other benefits, this will create jobs for community members and allow students to be trained for lifeguarding jobs and for life situations, Kline and board members said.
Kline is not sure how much extra the HealthPlex is going to cost yet, but expects that memberships and the lease agreement with Mercy for the doctors’ offices will help pay it off, and may even help the district pay off the high school early.
The current lease agreement is for 15 years. Mercy Health will have naming rights for the facility, according to a press release. from the district.