MAY BOND & LEVY

Come on--I wouldn't call our school district a failure---obsiously challenged in many ways.

Spiderjohn, thank you for your posts, particularly answering questions about Wade E. Miller gym and climate/discipline. I appreciate your perspective and your involvement on the climate/discipline committee.

Well, looks like the few in the school community are making preparations to build their school buildings and the funding might be available from the state. Journal story.....

Middletown closer to receiving state facilities funding

MIDDLETOWN —
The Middletown school district is moving up the ranks to receive more than $40 million in state funding for future building projects.

George Long, business manager for Middletown City Schools, said the district’s master plan is currently being updated and will likely come before school board members for a vote on May 20.

The 2013 master plan will “firm up” the long-term facilities plan for the district and include cost estimates for the final 50 percent — which includes building a new middle school, renovating and expanding the high school, and minor renovations of Central Academy and Amanda Elementary.

The Ohio Facilities Construction Commission — through its Classroom Facilities Assistance Program — will fund 26 percent of the “big picture cost,” or $41 million, Long said.

Long said the most recent update he received from the state on April 24 is it’s “probable” Middletown could receive the state share of 26 percent this summer.

“‘Probable’ is a very positive thing,” Long said.

CFAP funding and the priority ranking is based directly on the property wealth of the district, according to Ohio School Facilities Commission.

The district’s overall master plan consists of $157 million in total construction projects, for which Middletown’s local share is 74 percent, or $116 million.

Phases of the master plan were completed in 2003 and 2005 amounting to a $77 million investment by the Middletown school district to build six new elementaries and renovate two, Long said.

The state begins funding in the Top 20 of an eligibility list for its Classroom Facilities Assistance Program. Middletown Treasurer Kelley Thorpe was notified in late March the district had reached the Top 40 mark.

“We’re getting moved up more and more literally every day as (other) districts drop out,” Long said. “The state funds somewhere in the 20 range depending on size and scope” of projects.

Long said the state funding will be used to cover 50 percent of the cost for final master plan projects, which will also include demolition of the current middle school on Girard Avenue, the vacant George M. Verity Middle School and the current Manchester Building at the high school. Long said Manchester classes would be moved inside the high school as part of the expansion.

Long said the state funding would not come in one large sum.

“We have to design the buildings, put them out to bid, enter a contract and then the state transfers money to the district as bills come due,” Long said.

Long said he will present the most recent updates from the Ohio Facilities Construction Commission at the May 6 board of education meeting.

“The board may need to consider a future bond issue,” Long said, but emphasized no monetary amount or timeline has been established yet.

In February, the school board moved to pull its $55 million bond issue off the May 7 ballot to wait on the state process. The district has to collect an additional $40 million in order to fulfill its local-share obligation.

THIS SMALL GROUP OF PEOPLE THAT WANT THIS TO HAPPEN AREN'T GOING TO ASK THE MAJORITY OF THE PEOPLE IF THIS IS WHAT THEY WANT. NEVER DO. WE WILL HAVE TO TELL THEM WHEN THE LEVY IS PRESENTED. HOPE EVERYONE VOTES NO. HOPE EVERYONE HAS LEARNED A LESSON CONCERNING ROI FROM THE 45 MILLION DOLLAR BOND APPROVAL FOR THE ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS BUILT YEARS AGO. JUST PROVES THAT NEW FACILITIES PRODUCE LITTLE IMPROVEMENT AND, IN SOME CASES, NO IMPROVEMENT AT ALL.......FOR YEARS. FOLKS, YA GOTTA VOTE NO ON THE ADDITIONAL BUILDINGS. THE SCHOOLS HAVEN'T EARNED THE RIGHT TO ASK FOR MORE NEW BUILDINGS AS THERE HAS BEEN ONLY MINOR PROGRESS TO DATE. HAVE ANY OF YOU SEEN MONUMENTAL GROWTH OUT OF THE ELEMENTARIES AS YET? SCORES AND PERFORMANCE IS ONLY SLIGHTLY BETTER THAN WHEN THE NEW SCHOOLS WERE BUILT, RIGHT? AND THE INDICATORS? THEY HAVE FALLEN FROM 10 TO 6. YOU BE THE JUDGE. THE SCHOOL FOLKS WILL NOT LIKE THIS, BUT IT IS WHAT IT IS. THE NUMBERS DON'T LIE. DO YOU REALLY THINK NEW BUILDINGS WILL MAKE A DIFFERENCE? DID THE NEW ELEMENTARIES MAKE A DIFFERENCE?

Vet, 

Vet,

PAC:

"Your constant crabbing about the Elementary being built and the academic results not making the leaps and bounds as you wish is getting old."

CHANGE THE RESULTS AND I'LL STOP THE CRABBING. HOW LONG WILL YOU GIVE THEM TO SHOW ANY REAL IMPROVEMENT PAC? .....YOUR CHOICE, JOIN THE REST OF THE SUPPORTERS OF THE SCHOOLS AND ACCEPT SLOW, ALMOST NON-EXISTENT PROGRESS OVER THE LAST FEW DECADES, OR CALL IT LIKE IT IS AND SEE THE NUMBERS EACH YEAR AFTER PROFICIENCY TESTING AND SEE THE PERCENTAGES EITHER STAY THE SAME OR IMPROVE BY A PERCENT OR TWO. IT IS WHAT IT IS PAC. NO DENYING THE NUMBERS. MY STATEMENTS MAY BE "GETTING OLD" PAC, BUT SO IS THE PERFORMANCE VERSUS EFFORT AND COST. WE KEEP PLOWING MONEY INTO A SYSTEM THAT IS NOT PRODUCING COMPARABLE RESULTS. ARE THE SCHOOLS A GOOD RETURN ON INVESTMENT IN YOUR OPINION. I THINK NOT. CONGRATULATIONS. YOU HAVE NOW JOINED THE GROUP THAT IS IN DENIAL.

PAC:

"Now can you move on to some productive issues, other than Movie theaters and Middle Schools and High Schools".

THANK YOU FOR ALIGNING MY PRIORITIES HERE. I'LL TAKE YOUR SUGGESTION UNDER ADVISEMENT. (SEE THE DIE HARD MOVIE FOR REFERENCE)

YOU SOUND A LITTLE BITTER BUD. GOT SOME NEWS FOR YOU. YOU ARE CONVERSING WITH A PERSON WHO IS JUST AS BITTER WITH LIFE RIGHT NOW AS YOU SEEM TO BE. JUST DIFFERENT REASONS FOR THE BITTERNESS. WE BOTH MOVE ON.

Vet Again, 

itsamee wrote: Vet,  I'm shooting from the hip here. I have done work as a contractor at the schools (here and in other districts), so I have limited knowledge. I do know that ratios have changed and are on the verge of 30:1. That means there are 30 kids pre every teacher per classroom.  In the early 2000's when I started it was 24:1 in most districts.  Add a few more bodies (some of which sweat or provide a little more funk) and you raise the temps.   Other than that, yes, I went to school in the 90's in a building that had no AC, and I do remember how unpleasant it was at the time.  who knows, maybe I would have done better had I not had hot conditions... I dont know.

The ratio was 30:1 in the 60's in my classes. Effectiveness of learning was better back then due to rigid class rules, structure and the discipline factor missing in today's classrooms.

Vet, 

VietVet