NORTH OLMSTED, Ohio — The North Olmsted City School District is making major budget cuts after another huge blow at the polls back in May. Residents have voted down levies in back-to-back years. Now, school officials are forced to make some reductions. The measures are tied to mitigating flat funding and an anticipated deficit.
“I know there’s a lot of concern from families…[but] there is no other option,” said David Brand, North Olmsted Superintendent. “We’re going into next year, school year, we'll have less staff members across the board in all sections, including administrative teaching staff, support staff.”
Brand says staffing continues to be a challenge as his team is losing 14 positions this school year.
But that’s not all.
Limitations on high school courses are another sacrifice the school district is facing to save money.
‘We've had to close two of our buildings and reconfigure. So now our students are going to different buildings,” Brand said.
Brand says busing is another concern.
“We are only transporting our students from kindergarten through eighth grade and only students who live more than two miles away from the school that they are attending.”
Athletes competing this year will also see changes. As Brand explained, the school district had to “institute a pay to participate fee for our extracurricular our athletics programming that we didn't have to before. “
Still, Brand says there's hope things could turn around in November. Residents will decide the fate of another 7.8-mil combination bond levy. If it passes, each month will cost the average homeowner $23.75 per $100,000 home.
“Even though we have these challenges, we're going to rise together through these challenges is what the reforms that has always done. And I look forward to having an amazing school year with our kids.,” he said.
