The South Bend Community School Corporation will retain ownership of the former Clay High School building, following a 5–2 vote by the school board Wednesday night.
The resolution allows the district to continue using the facility for storage, office space, training, and potentially for expanded career and technical education (CTE) programs.
Board member Stuart Greene said a recent walkthrough of the property reinforced its long-term value.
“I think if the previous board had walked through Clay, and seen what assets it has...three of us walked through Clay recently, and it was reaffirmed for us just what an asset it is, and that we should be making use of it,” Greene said.Clay High School officially closed in 2024 as part of the district’s long-term facilities master plan. The building has since been used to house displaced equipment and materials and provide training space for staff.
Under Indiana law, school districts must offer any unused or vacant school building to a charter school for one dollar. That provision became a flashpoint during Wednesday’s meeting.
“It’s a $40–50 million asset and we should not give it up for a dollar,” said board member Marcus Ellison. “We should hold on to Clay until they come and pry it away from our cold, dead hands.” The resolution states that the building is still in active use and therefore does not qualify as surplus property under state law. It also allows the district to explore community partnerships for future use of the site.
Board members Bill Sniadecki and Carlos Leyva voted against the resolution. Both expressed concerns about the ongoing cost of maintaining the building, with Sniadecki adding that the district needs to move on.
Wednesday’s vote marks a reversal of tone for a school once at the center of heated debate over closures. Of the current board members, only trustee Kate Lee voted in favor of the original decision to close Clay.
The resolution preserves the board’s authority to approve future contracts and leaves the door open for additional uses of the property in accordance with district policy.
