June 3, 2008

Greetings,

On March 4, 2008, voters in the Anthony Wayne Local School District turned down a 6.5 mill emergency-operating levy to renew local school funds and add additional revenue to the school-operating budget. That levy request of $6,000,000 is still absolutely necessary to continue the current school programs in Anthony Wayne School District. Without the renewal of the 2003 emergency operating levy and the additional funds, the Anthony Wayne Local Board of Education will be forced to continue further reductions in spending. These reductions now move beyond efficiency and will result in the elimination of programs and services offered to our students and community.

Recently the Anthony Wayne Local School Board unanimously passed resolutions of necessity to place two levies on the August 5 ballot. Both of these levies will be emergency operating levies. This action was taken because the school board desires to maintain the quantity and quality of school programs in the arts, athletics, and academics. One levy will be a renewal of the emergency operating levy that was first passed in 2003 and generates $3,000,000 annually for five years. The other tax issue will be a new proposal to produce an additional $3,000,000 per year for a five-year period. These two levies combined are requesting the same amount of money as the recently defeated March 4 levy.

Superintendent Granger is recommending that the board of education continue to support the practice of taking advantage of attrition to reduce personnel costs. Since December 2006, the Anthony Wayne Board of Education has reduced approximately $2,000,000 in spending through personnel attrition and other efficient management practices. This has resulted in a net loss of 26 teachers.

For the 2008-2009 school year, reading and math intervention tutors will be re-assigned in grades K-6 to fill vacancies in regular classroom positions. The board of education has also implemented Reduction in Force to suspend the administrative contracts of the communications director, executive director of curriculum and instruction, business manager, and the assistant superintendent. Further board action to revise the organizational chart subsequently eliminated all of these positions.

Since discovering the operating deficit in the fall of 2006, the school board and the superintendent have consistently maintained that the district will balance the operating budget by streamlining spending and limiting the hiring of new employees. This promise can no longer be kept without help from the community. It is absolutely necessary to approve the renewal levy as well as the levy for additional funds. Failure of both levies on August 5, will force the board of education to cut spending by 1.9 million dollars for the 2008-2009 school year. Reducing the operating budget through attrition alone will no longer be sufficient. The implementation of Reduction in Force would be required to suspend the contracts of certified and classified employees. The school board would also limit the use of the K-6 school facilities during “non-school” hours to conserve energy and personnel costs. Further reductions to bus service would also be implemented. Additionally, students in grades 7-12 would be required to “pay to participate” to continue all extra-curricular activities, not just athletics.

It is critical for school district residents to know that passing only one levy would only put a one-year “Band-Aid” on district financial problems. Passing only one levy creates a $230,000 carryover balance in June 2009. This amount of money is far below the amount accepted by the State of Ohio and, therefore, the Anthony Wayne School District would remain in Fiscal Caution. It is absolutely necessary that both levies pass to ensure the financial stability of the school system. School district residents are asked to consider that school officials have already made massive spending reductions and are not simply “holding out hands” for more money. The Anthony Wayne Local School District desperately needs your help to secure both the existing and new revenue for the Anthony Wayne Local Schools.

Sincerely,

Dr. John Granger