Lordstown begins school year with reopened planetarium

LORDSTOWN -- The Lordstown Local School District has begun the 2026-27 year with the opening of the former planetarium at the high school.

Superintendent Greg Bonamase said the planetarium was used years ago and then closed in 2000.

"We are very excited about opening the planetarium after 26 years. The planetarium will be used for science classes as students study astronomy, geology, meteorology and the weather. They also will learn about ancient Rome, the Amazon and the Sahara Desert. It is unlimited for the programs and classes we will offer for preschool to 12th grade,'' Bonamase said.

He said he hopes the STEAM students from the Trumbull County Educational Service Center who attend classes at Lordstown High School also will be able to use it.

"The goal is that every student in Lordstown will have the opportunity to be able to have programs in the planetarium," Bonamase said.

He said six years ago when he started as superintendent, Bonamase said it was his goal to get the planetarium back in operation.

He said it had been a storage room for 26 years.

"The administration and I have talked extensively about how to make the room more functional,'' Bonamase said.

He said the school district worked with AMI, a STEM company, on the planetarium and in the past has worked with the company on developing STEM programs in the school district and remodeling of two high school science classrooms.

AMI assisted the district in getting grant money for updating the planetarium, including a new projector and programs.

He said next the district met with four companies about the planetarium and a decision was made to go with Star Lab at $49,000, which provided programs to use in the planetarium such as astronomy and meteorology. The money was used for the projector and a sound system in the planetarium.

"We wanted to make sure the teachers would have an easy time using the planetarium. The elementary and high school teachers will be able to use the projector and create their own programs and lessons. They have trained over the summer to use the new technology that we have," Bonamase said.

Bonamase said Joseph Jeswald, a former Girard superintendent who works with the Educational Service Center STEM programs saw the planetarium.

"After he saw it, he called me and said he doesn't think there is a school district in the tri-county area that has an active working planetarium,'' Bonamase said.

The planetarium seats between 25 and 30 students

Bonamase said AMI officials have helped guide the school district. He said the custodial staff gave the room a major cleaning after items were moved out.

"The room is ready for full usage, The old projector was on a podium made by the woodshop class," he said.

GRANT RECEIVED

Also this school year, the district received a grant from the Home Builders Institute of Cleveland to continue running the precarpentry program at the back of the elementary school.

Bonamase said the Trumbull County Educational Service Center used to run that program, but closed it last school year.

"We as a district stepped up and decided to continue the precarpentry program. A lot of our students will be able to attend the wood shop program. Last year, it was a very popular class for our junior high and high school. We will be working with the Mahoning Valley Home Builders Association," Bonamase said

A $17,000 grant from the HBA was used to train a teacher to offer preapprenticeship programs, with three or four woodshop classes and a preapprenticeship program being offered to students.

He said students enrolled in the preapprenticeship program will receive tools and shirts using the grant money.

"This will help the students who may be looking at the trades as a future career. We will see about taking students to different job sites to see what a carpenter, electrician or cement finisher does," Bonamase said

Bonamase said teacher Patrick Barrett will instruct sixth grade math in the mornings and then handle the wood shop and preapprenticeship classes later in the day.

He said another teacher will cover Barrett's science classes.

Bonamase said high school teacher Seth Mansell will be instructing the Food to Table program in the district. Over the summer, a makeshift hydroponics area was built at the school.

"The seniors were in the class last year and seem to like it,'' Bonamase said, adding the Rise Up program and STEM classes will continue at the high school.