| Superintendent's Update - September 11, 2010 |
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Dear Community Member, By now you are aware that the state of Ohio has received monies from two federal programs which are earmarked for local public school districts. The media has been following this development and I want to let you know what we are doing as a district to help make sure communications are clear regarding the impact of these funds. Oregon City School District will receive $253,506.06 spread out over four years (or $63,376 per year) in Race to the top (RttT) funds. This money can only be spent on specific activities related to the goals of the program which focus on raising student achievement and increasing teacher and administrative performance. It is important to note that not all school districts are eligible to receive this money. Only those district’s where the Board of Education, Superintendent and Teacher’s Union President have signed an agreement are eligible to receive funds. I am pleased that all parties in Oregon are in agreement and support this initiative! The district will also be receiving $495,786 in Edu Jobs funds (stimulus money). This money will be available beginning this October and may be spent through September of 2012. The focus of this money is to provide “educational support for students.” The US Dept. of Education gives specific examples of several types of positions that might be funded with these dollars. These include “teachers, principals, librarians, counselors and bus drivers.” We will be working with the Board of Education to determine when and where these resources will be best allocated. Most likely, we will hold off on spending this money until the 2011-1012 school year. By then we will know how much of a state budget reduction we will have received and have a better picture on where the district stands financially. It is important to remember that monies from both of these funds are “one time” sources of revenue. They will have no significant impact on our annual budget or five year forecast. Therefore, we have sent information to parents in the form of our “backpack express” to alert them of the facts and educate them of our district’s financial situation. In addition, I recently submitted an Op/Ed that will appear in a future edition the Suburban Metro Press clarifying this as well. I cannot emphasize strongly enough the importance of the levy passing this fall. In the last three years the district has made over $7 million in cuts to our operating budget. In addition, our staff has voluntarily accepted wage and benefit concessions saving the district over $1.3 million for the current school year. These sacrifices have prevented the loss of additional teaching positions, educational programs and services. However, this is not enough to maintain the quality educational system we currently enjoy. If the district is unable to obtain additional revenue, an additional $2 million will need to be cut from next year’s budget. These reductions will have a significant negative impact on our schools and community. To this point, the Board of Education has drafted a “Position Statement” that clarifies the consequences of the levy campaign. I encourage you to read the position statement and be informed about the outcome of the campaign. I have scheduled a series of Community Forums throughout the district designed to answer your questions. I encourage you to make arrangements to attend one of these events as your schedule permits. They will be held in the school’s Library/Media Center on the following dates: Coy Elementary School – Monday, September 13th @ 7:00pm In addition, the Jerusalem Township Trustees have made their facility available to host a special meeting for the Jerusalem Township community on the following date: Jerusalem Township Hall – Wednesday, September 22nd @ 7:00 pm The district and community are truly at a crossroads. The outcome of this campaign will impact the future of the district form many years to come. I am hopeful and confident that even in these tough economic times the community will rally to support their children and schools. I look forward to seeing and hearing from you in the coming days and weeks. Please feel free to contact me at your earliest convenience if you have any questions or comments about the schools. Sincerely, Michael E. Zalar, Ph.D. |
If you have any comments, questions or concerns about the Superintendent's Message section of our website, please contact Superintendent Mike Zalar at mzalar@oregoncs.org.