BUCKEYE E-NEWLETTER (January, 2010)
In an attempt to keep community members informed on the issues regarding the Buckeye Local Schools, I would like to continue to answer questions resulting from the Buckeye E-Survey conducted in November. If you missed the results of the survey as well as others important issues regarding the Buckeye Schools, please visit our community website at www.ourbuckeye.com and click on “Hot Topics."
Others questions with answers from the Buckeye e-Survey:
1. The district has stated that the field house and additions onto the elementary schools are paid from capital improvement (sales tax) money. How much operating money is needed annually to operate and maintain the buildings?
The school district certainly understands that there is additional operating money needed, not only for the field house but also for the elementary additions which will be operational for the 2010-2011 school year. The field house is considered a “green building” and its energy source is drawn from geothermal wells located behind the elementary schools. We will clean and maintain the field house at as minimal expense as possible. However, it is a wonderful complex for our students and community. The elementary school operating costs will also be examined and we will continue to operate those additions as inexpensively as possible.
2. My junior high son gets on a bus which is only half full and I must drive my high school daughter to school. If the busses were full, I could possibly understand, but half empty? Please explain how this saves the district money.
It is very possible that when see a bus half full, it is in the middle of its run of dropping children off or picking them up. All 23 of our buses and their subsequent routes are almost filled to capacity. We work very hard at maximizing our buses and bus drivers. Please understand that the other important variable with the bus capacity is the amount of time that each student is riding the bus per day. We try to not have students on the bus more than 45 minutes each way. This may result in a school bus not being filled to complete capacity.
3. Can a taxpayer review the district’s performance on a year to year basis?
We implore all of our taxpayers to please contact our treasurer’s office at 330-722-8257 330-722-8257 ext. 1008. We are all more than willing to sit down and discuss any information as we are accountable to all taxpayers. You may request any information or set up a meeting with the treasurer or superintendent at your convenience.