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Wednesday, April 30, 2008

Survey to cover school building plan, merger

Guru India
By DENISE GRANT

Staff Writer

ARCADIA — Arcadia school board wants public input when it come to the big questions like new facilities or a possible expansion, and it is willing to pay for it.

Superintendent Laurie Walles said the board plans to conduct a survey of district residents this fall, asking them questions about the school building and their thoughts on a possible merger with Vanlue school.

"We need to find out if the community is interested in a building project or a building renovation. When we're looking at a possible $21 million project, we need to know if the community would support that. We're also looking at a possible merger/consolidation/expansion of the school district. These are not small issues. They're huge," Walles said.

The board met in special session Monday to begin hashing out details of the survey. An administrative team, including Walles, board members Jon Fleggle and Lance Switzer, along with the treasurer and principals, will develop the survey's questions.

It will cost about $4,500 to hire a professional firm to conduct the survey, but with the school board considering such "huge issues," Walles said the cost is worthwhile.

She said an expected change in state law will bump Arcadia up the Ohio School Facilities Commission's priority list, and the district may now qualify for aid by 2009. The new law would allow Arcadia school to count open enrollment students as members of its official student population. Increasing Arcadia's student count would make the school more of a priority for the commission.

Higher enrollment could also increase the share paid by the commission to 62 percent instead of the current 48 percent. Walles stressed that the numbers are still just estimates.

It can be a complex process, and overtures by the Vanlue school board, which is seeking a possible merger, are going to make it even more complicated, she said. Vanlue school board has asked Arcadia school board for a special meeting to discuss the idea. Arcadia school board wants to survey its residents on the issue first.

Vanlue school officials, who could be grappling with about $500,000 in red ink come 2009, are impatient, however, and have said that if Arcadia takes too long to begin talks they may approach Carey or Riverdale.

Walles said the community survey was planned long before "the Vanlue issue" was raised, but questions about facilities and a possible "expansion" are intertwined.

Should the schools merge, it would create a district of nearly 1,000 students, making it one of the largest in Hancock County.

"We have a lot of district residents that are not actively involved in the school district. The survey will help to get their opinion," Walles said.

She said "people are busy and even when we have meetings, they don't have the time to attend them."

"We respect and value the opinion of our public and we are hoping to get their input through this survey," Walles said.

The survey will most likely be made in the fall, when students start back to school.

Contact staff writer Denise Grant at:

419-427-8412

Send an e-mail to Denise Grant
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2 Comments
Anyonmous wrote:
ARCADIA-VANLUE MERGER
“ What would be the district's name? -Arcadia-Vanlue? -Vanlue-Arcadia? -Just Arcadia (since its larger) -Or would administrators come up with a new name for the district? ”
Wednesday, April 30, 2008 5:50:57 PM
Debbie Amstutz wrote:
Vanlue/Arcadia merger
“ Realizing that Vanlue has issues am wondering why their elected school board hasn't gone to community. Arcadia talking of taking poll of residents, but Vanlue has not done that yet. Curious that elected officials not consulting with those that elected them. ”
Wednesday, April 30, 2008 7:22:05 AM
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