District Parents/Guardians,
We are aware of your concerns related to the implementation of a technology fee for students in grades 1-12. Our district has operated efficiently for more than a decade by eliminating costs in order to maximize the tax dollars that you provide to us through an operating levy approved 24 years ago (1993). We continually look for alternative funding sources so we don’t have to ask our community for additional funds. At this time, we haven’t been successful in acquiring additional funding for technology, but we aren’t going to stop searching.
We have proven through our actions over the past 10 years that we attempt to put money back in your pockets when we can afford to do so. Our district has waived the $50 student supply fee for a decade, and absorbed Pay to Participate Fees for the past four years to take down the financial barrier that may stop some children from enjoying the benefits of extra-curricular programs like athletics, band and drama.
We refinanced bonds every time we had the opportunity, which saved our community more than $2.2 million in future tax payments.
This year’s state budget eliminated funding to our district by approximately $300,000 under our estimations over the next two years (FY18 & FY19) due to their struggle in collecting state taxes.
Before the state budget was finalized, our Board of Education members voted to approve the technology fee because it appeared the state was exclusively moving to online assessments. The morning following our board meeting, there was news that the state was still going to consider giving schools the option to do paper-pencil testing this year.
That option was eliminated in the final state budget bill, and the state made it required that all testing be completed online. We delayed the release of information about our technology fee because we believed there was an outside chance that the state would go back to the paper-pencil option and our board of education could vote to eliminate the technology fee in the August meeting.
Our state is moving all assessments to an online format and we have to adjust in order to provide our students with more opportunities to use and become comfortable with the technology.
The last thing any school district wants to do is approach the community or parents for additional funding. In this case, we need to ask for your support to help us get more technology in front of our students to increase their chances for success in the changing climate that is public education in Ohio.
Please review our district payment options for the upcoming school year, and note that EZPay convenience fees are waived the entire month of August.
Sincerely,
William Morrison
District Fee Payment Options for 2017-2018 School Year
NOTES:
— Student Fees are due to be paid by December 15, 2017.
— Students receiving FREE Lunch do not have to pay the $25 technology fee per federal, state, and district guidelines.
—
EZPay convenience fees are waived for the month of August.
Payment Option 1: Pay fees at school main office, district treasurer’s office, and
EZPay website.
Payment Option 2: If you can’t pay the fees in full at schedule pick-up or open house events, you can pay in installments by utilizing the ways listed in Option 1.
Deadline to pay all fees is December 15, 2017.
If you have questions, contact your child’s school or our district treasurer’s office at 614-491-8044 ext. 1206.