Preliminary Results: SWCS Levy Passes By Slight Margin
Alternative content
SWCS Levy Passes
Students, faculty and staff in the South-Western City School District are breathing a big sigh of relief. That?s because after a year and four attempts, unofficial election results indicate voters...
NBC 4
After a year and four attempts, unofficial election results indicate SWCS voters have approved a 7.4-mill operating levy.
COLUMBUS, Ohio – Students, faculty and staff in the South-Western City School District are breathing a big sigh of relief. That’s because after a year and four attempts, unofficial election results indicate voters have approved a 7.4-mill operating levy.
According to unofficial results, Issue 47, a 7.4-mill operating levy was approved by residents by just 449 votes. “We’re thrilled not only for our students but for the community,” said Bill Wise, Superintendent of South-Western City Schools. He says the approval not only saved 85 full-time positions and prevented $8 million in reductions, it also means an additional $18.5 million a year in revenue.
That means busing will be reinstated by month’s end, buildings will now resume normal hours and extra-curricular activities such as clubs, music programs and sports, including winter sports, have been resurrected. However, this time around, these programs will cost students.
“At this point, the board has already adopted a pay-to-participate structure,” says Wise. “It’s $150 for high school athletics, $100 for music program, $75 for middle schools and $20 for clubs.“ That’s all with a $500 cap per family.
Still, student athletes couldn’t be more excited. “I’m pretty pumped up,” says Grove City High School Freshman Hayes Davis, who hopes to play football.
“I was up all night just wondering if it passed, then when it passed, I could sleep better,” said Freshman Corey Rine, who hopes to play basketball.
Elections officials say the margin of approval doesn’t meet requirements for a mandated recount. However, groups have five days from the time the results are certified on November 24 to file such a request. School officials say even if there is a recount in this issue, they’re confident the results will remain the same.
At noon Wednesday, the school board was scheduled to hold a meeting to start the process of rehiring some of those who had been laid off due to previous cuts, including coaches for winter sports.
For additional information on this developing story, stay with NBC 4 and refresh nbc4i.com—Where Accuracy Matters.
To submit a story idea or news tip, e-mail
.
MORE: NBC 4 Local News | Local Crime News
NBC 4 SPORTS: Sports News, Video
NBC 4 POLITICS: Headlines, Interactives & Video
Advertisement
Reader Reactions
Laura,
Are you saying that students shouldn’t have homework? Because that’s how it’s coming across.
Didn’t you have homework as a student?
I graduated many years ago and remember having hours of homework to do at home every night.
If you are in advanced or honors classes, often times there is even more homework than the basic classes give.
There’s only so much information a teacher can give in the allotted classroom time to 20+ students.
Also, students can only take in so much in that type of environment. There are many distractions (not just noise or other students) in a classroom environment. Especially when you are talking about teenagers. They have emotions, hormones, college and many other things going through their minds and don’t always focus on what they should when they should.
Sorry for all the typos. trying to get it done before I have to go back to work.
the reason sports were reinstated so quickly are about 99% of the coaches or assistaqnt coachers are teachers so they ared already employeed by the district. Second is that these are winter sports that are played indoors. All they have to do is let them in the gym to start their practices. The coaches that are paid are compensated only in intervals during the season (when games are going on). The other things that have not been reinstated yet are because they have to hire people in (bus drivers, special ed teachers, who where let go) I believe Kingston school will not be reopened more money needs to go into the building to handle the upgrades it needs.
Also, I know it has happened in many other states where if a child is home schooled, they would be able to participate in athletics in their public school district because of the taxes that are paid by their parent/guardian.
People just sit back and complain all the time instead of trying to come up with solutions. Maybe we should all swamp the Govenors email account with questions as to why he is not trying to fix the funding problem as he stated he was going to. the problem does not stop with the passing of the levy.
LOLOLOL
Do you all read what you put on this forum??? You all sound like you are OLD women who want to pick,pick,pick…ETC
Keep things going…. Like I said before, pull together and make changes.
I VOTED NO!!! AND I HAVE CHIDREN ATTENDING SCHOOL IN SWCS!!
Even my children knew that they were being brainwashed!
I have alot of ppl that I know that voted yes and they are all now SURPRISED at how fast we have sports and other things. They have had their eyes opened WIDE..
We all know the facts, now WE all sould do something about it. BUT what should we do?? I know what we should do.
STOP PICKING and DO something about it!
They will ask for more money in at least 4 years. That is the only way way of getting money for any schools. I understand tht they need money to run the schools BUT I dont want to pay for a pay raise.
So what do WE all want to do? Fight each other on this??? Does that work??? No….
See my point? Maybe you all can get together for tea and cookies and work it out. Dont you see this is what they wanted??
just my two cents here but
#1 why is it that sports and after school activites were re-instated by the end of the school day once the levy passed but buses and other academia will be finished by the end of the month.
#2 what about re-hiring the special education teachers instead of coaches first and whats gonna happen to Kingston School now.
#3 for everyone saying if you dont like the way the district is run why dont you pull your kids out and home school them. Do you not realize even if you home school your kids you still have to pay the taxes for the district but your kids dont get the extra curriculars that seem to be oh so more important than academics.
#4 do we really need to count how many high school students voiced their complaints to the media and stated “now we have to do well in our classes cause we dont have anything else to do”. This last one is not a direct quote but I couldnt tell you how many kids I heard on the news say this and it just made them sound ignorant(as in uneducated not meant in a negative connotation).
I only wonder how long it will be before the district asks for another levy. I guarantee it will be soon. This is just a “little levy” one they scaled down. They are going to ask for a new one within the next 2 years and I promise you it will be at least 8 mil. and the same threats will happen again.
While Rome burns she screams “On with the games”.
Aren’t you so funny?! Just because all you care about is keeping the status quo,doesn’t mean that the rest of us are.
We are paying SWCS a pretty penny(until it hurts)for this district to provide a service that it is failing miserably at.
You go ahead and live in la-la land,while the rest of us are concerned for our children,community and country!
Laura and GCMOMTOO—I have the perfect solution to your problems. You should both sell your computers, move in together, and sit around complaining 24/7. You complain, but you never actually offer any solutions—your negativity is not needed.
I remember about 5 years ago a reporter asked some Chinese official about their huge army and its possible threat to America…
the official responded (without elaboration)that China will overtake America without ever lifting a gun!
Since then we’ve seen our children poisoned with lead paints on toys,pets poisoned with unsafe food additives,we’ve seen millions of production jobs go to China and Chinas children outscore American children in schools that are more concerned about employee salary increases,than the inadequate educational “product” that the American schools offer(being more concerned with ball games,than education).
COME ON SWCS CHILDREN-ON WITH THE SPORTS GAMES!
What do you have that you are not in debt for GC Voter? You can’t even speak properly and you want to criticize others!
Post a Comment(Requires free registration)
- Please avoid offensive, vulgar, or hateful language.
- Respect others.
- Use the "Flag Comment" link when necessary.
- See the Terms and Conditions for details.
Advertisement