Cuts and Reductions that will take place at the end of this school year:

Letter to Parents/Guardians, April 16, 2013

As we wind down another school year, I wanted to pass along my sincere thanks and gratitude for all of your support for CLSD.   I am very proud of the students and the progress that they have made. Once again we were regarded as a district of "Excellent With Distinction" for the fourth consecutive year. This is now five years in a row we’ve earned the top ranking given by the Ohio Department of Education. We are the only school in Lorain County to receive such a distinction. We have a great district with awesome students and staff! Good luck the rest of the year!

On May 7th, Columbia Local Schools will have a 5.5 mill operating levy on the ballot. This levy is critical to the future of CLSD. We have not asked the Columbia Community for new operating money since 2003. In November of 2010 we passed a 2 mill permanent improvement levy. In February of 2011 we passed a 1.85 mill bond issue. We thank you for realizing the need for these two previous levies. Neither of these levies can be spent on day to day operations nor salaries. The monies have been spent on the new Copopa, renovation of CMS, a House Bill 264 energy conservation project, buses, equipment for maintenance, painting, roofs, doors, asphalt repair, technology and anything else to maintain the district's buildings and grounds.  

In April at the State of the Schools address, we outlined a plan to address our budget. If you have not had a chance to read it, the address can be found on our website at www.columbia.k12.oh.us This plan was put into place to address a budget shortfall for this current school year and next. It was the most difficult decision that we have ever had to make in Columbia Local Schools. I would like to share with you the important points of our plan. 

Over the past three years we have cut $1,910,858.90 from the general fund. This included the elimination of 7 teaching positions, 2 1/2 classified positions, 2 part-time administrative positions, and several extra-curricular activities. We reduced the hours/days for the transportation supervisor, special education supervisor and school psychologist. 

Our current budget shortfall is roughly $400,000. By law, we cannot have a budget deficit at any point in time during a fiscal year. Because of this we will be borrowing $650,000 at the beginning of May to make it through the current fiscal year that ends on June 30th. In order to make it through the first six months of fiscal year 2014 which begins on July 1st, we will need to cut $618,031.97. These cuts and reductions will take place at the end of this current year and will happen regardless of the outcome of the levy. If the levy on May 7th were to pass, no additional cuts will need to be made. Please note that the levy monies will not be available until February of 2014. However, if it fails another $514,091.05 will be cut to make it through the 2013/2014 school year. I have provided a list of the implemented and proposed cuts on the next page. Failure of the levy will result in high school busing being cut and each student paying a $50 student district fee.

Beginning in the 2013-14 school year:   pay to participate fees will go from $125 to $250 per sport with no family cap, lunch prices will be raised to $3.50, students in K-8 will ride on the same buses and 9-12 students will have a separate run (if the levy passes). This new transportation module is designed so that we are more efficient and entry/exit of Copopa/CMS are safe and secure. Non public school students will be affected by this change in transportation. At this time, we do not know to what extent. Further communication will be forwarded to families of non public school students. Finally, all community groups wishing to use the school facilities will have to pay $25 per hour for gym use and $15 per hour for classroom space during regular custodial hours. On non school days the same hourly rate is used and an hourly cost for a custodian is added to the rate.

We will need the support of each of you as parents and members of our school community. I thank you once again for your involvement in our schools. If you would like to be involved in the levy campaign please contact Holly Schafer, levy chair, at hjschafer@yahoo.com If you have any questions or concerns please give me a call at (440) 236-5008 or send me an email at bansekg@columbia.k12.oh

2013 State of the Schools

The 2013 State of the Schools address took place on March 20, 2013.  Slides from the presentation may be viewed below.  Click here to download a copy of the presentation.   (This is a large download that may take a few minutes to complete.)

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January, 2013 is School Board Appreciation month.  Representatives from the Columbia Local Education Association and the Ohio Association of Public School Employees Local 382 were on hand at the January 16 Board of Education Meeting to express their thanks to the Columbia Board of Education for everything they do for our schools.  We encourage all citizens to publicly and privately thank the school board members serving this community for their dedicated service to our children.

Pictured L-R, Board Member Stephen Coleman, Board Member Steven Moore, CLEA Representative Suzy Neff, CLEA President Stacy Acker, Board President Brenda Buchanan, Board Member Blanche Nemeth, OAPSE President Wendy Metzger, Board Vice-President Rick Malone.