Superintendent Community Updates

3/22/24

Dear Community Members:

Spring Break is here! Hard to believe we are 3/4^th of the way through the year, especially when these last couple of months will fly by with testing, field trips, and warmer/longer days.

I have a couple of notes for you today.

SUMMER WORKERS

Eastwood Schools is looking for dependable workers for this summer. The pay rate is $13.50 per hour. This is a perfect summer job for students or adults, and there is some flexibility for hours. Individuals will be working on crews in each of the buildings assisting with cleaning and light maintenance under the direction of our full-time staff.

If interested, please fill out the following application:

You can also find this on the district webpage www.eastwoodschools.org.

Applications can be emailed to David Hossler at dhossler@eastwoodschools.org or dropped off in the High School Office.

EASTWOOD JAZZ FESTIVAL

The 11th Annual Eastwood Jazz Festival is Saturday, April 20th. The evening includes dinner and entertainment provided by Big Band BG and the Eastwood, North Baltimore, Otsego and Van Buren High School Jazz Bands.

Doors to Eastwood HS open at 5:30pm. Performances start at 6:00pm. The four course meal will feature a variety of slow cooked meats. A vegetarian option is available.

Tickets and menu

Dinner and Entertainment: $35
Entertainment Only: $20
Table of 8 with preferred seating: $245

EASTWOOD CONCERT BAND ADVANCES TO STATE

The Eastwood High School Concert Band qualified for state competition when they earned a superior rating at the Ohio Music Education Association District Large Group Adjudicated Event on March 15 at Sylvania Southview HS. The Eastwood Band is directed by Brian Myers and Jonathan Roode.

The superior rating of a “I” (one) is earned for "an outstanding performance, with very few technical errors and exemplifying musical expression. This rating is reserved for the truly outstanding performance," according to the OMEA rating description.

At Large Group AE, bands perform three prepared pieces. One of the pieces is required to be from an OMEA list of music. This piece determines the band's class. This year the Eastwood Band competed in class C.

The three prepared pieces are performed for a panel of three judges. Each judge rates the group from I to V. The band then goes immediately to another room for sight reading. The band is given a new piece of music. After only six minutes of study, they perform the new piece for one additional judge, who assigns them a rating from I to V. The four scores are averaged for a composite rating.

The Eastwood High School Concert Band will travel to Findlay for State OMEA competition on April 26.

FUTURE LADY EAGLES VOLLEYBALL CAMP

There is a flyer attached for the June Lady Eagles Volleyball Camp for students entering grades 3-8.

HORIZON YOUTH THEATER AUDITIONS

Horizon Youth Theatre will be staging the musical "Matilda" ON June 7th, 8th and 9th in the Old Town Hall in Grand Rapids. This is open to students ages 8-18 from northwest Ohio. Auditions happen April 1st and 2nd in the evening at the Woodland Mall in Julie's Dance Studio.

FEBRUARY FINANCIAL INFORMATION

Eastwood Schools Financials	Friday, March 22, 2024
REVENUE	FY 2023	FY 2024	$$ change	% change
General Property Tax	$4,391,663.35	$4,461,977.94	$70,314.59	1.60%
Tangible Personal Property Tax	$0.00	$0.00	$0.00	0.00%
Income Tax	$2,070,315.52	$2,059,891.62	-$10,423.90	-0.50%
Unrestricted Grants-In-Aid	$4,399,776.59	$4,541,189.68	$141,413.09	3.21%
Restricted Grants-In-Aid	$197,971.83	$212,949.20	$14,977.37	7.57%
Property Tax Allocation	$314,349.96	$312,455.72	-$1,894.24	-0.60%
All Other	$1,546,235.30	$2,177,020.74	$630,785.44	40.79%
Advances / Other	$129,544.60	$56,391.50	-$73,153.10	-56.47%
TOTAL REVENUE	$13,049,857.15	$13,821,876.40	$772,019.25	5.92%

EXPENSES	FY 2023	FY 2024	$$ change	% change
Personnel Services	$6,939,857.78	$6,795,862.02	-$143,995.76	-2.07%
Retirement / Insurance	$3,203,885.76	$3,624,070.70	$420,184.94	13.11%
Purchased Services	$710,700.49	$662,187.08	-$48,513.41	-6.83%
Supplies / Materials	$604,848.82	$548,017.07	-$56,831.75	-9.40%
Capital Outlay	$359,917.82	$260,827.56	-$99,090.26	-27.53%
Other Objects	$1,069,513.69	$1,108,912.28	$39,398.59	3.68%
Advances / Transfers	$1,336,628.75	$1,337,074.25	$445.50	0.03%
TOTAL EXPENSES	$14,225,353.11	$14,336,950.96	$111,597.85	0.78%

REVENUES vs. EXPENSES	-$1,175,495.96	-$515,074.56	$660,421.40	-56.18%

The months of February and March are very similar to July and August, as these are the months where we receive collections from property taxes. Settlements can vary greatly depending on the timing of funds coming in from the county Auditor. So, I am going to set aside revenue for this month and look more at expenses.

Overall, our expenses are up $111,597.85 or .78% over last year at the same time. We did purchase two new buses during the month of February for roughly $280,000 which was a major expense. We will have a major curriculum purchase in K-5 Reading which will total $285,000 coming in March or April. This change was mandated by the state and will cover most of the program for the next 6 years. We will also be getting a portion of this rebated back to the district, but no one knows how much we will receive.

Other than that, our trend lines continue to be down year over year in most spending categories which is a positive.

I hope everyone has a safe and enjoyable break. To those traveling Godspeed to you and your families.

2.29.24

Dear Community Members:

Hope you are having a great week. We have a couple of items for you today.

QUICK LOOK AHEAD

We have a ton going on in the coming days and weeks. The Musical is next weekend March 8,9, and 10. Please contact the HS Office for ticket information.

We have a number of Wrestlers in the District Meet this weekend along with multiple State Indoor Meet qualifiers. The Boys Basketball team travels to Liberty Center for a Sectional Championship game on Friday at 7:00. BEST WISHES to all of those athletes.

Next weekend we also will have our HS Mock Trial Team traveling to Columbus for the State Competition. First time ever for an Eastwood Team!

Good stuff!!

MARCH 11^TH 2-HOUR DELAY

Just a quick reminder that we will have a 2-hour delay for professional development on Monday March 11^th. That is a week from next Monday so coming quick!

TRANSPORTATION ISSUE ON WEDNESDAY

On Wednesday morning, we had a train park across multiple roads in the district causing significant challenges. One of our buses was unable to move, and despite efforts from law enforcement to help the bus turn around, it had to remain in place.

While several messages were sent out via Remind for those who signed up for transportation updates, there were gaps in our communications. One of the remedies is to resend directions on how to sign up for Remind. While the directions below provided by our Director of Technology, Matt Bostdorff, are for the Delays and Cancellations information, there are other “classes” related to Transportation that you can sign-up for.

While there is nothing we can do about trains who park across roads, we can do our best to make sure you are informed to the best of our abilities.

Parents, Students, and other Stakeholders

In order for Parents, Students, and other community members to receive messages from Eastwood Local Schools regarding closures, cancellations and the like, you will need a Remind.com account. Once your account is created, users join appropriate “classes” so you can receive school information using a unique classroom code.

How do you do this?

Remind.com has some excellent tutorials on getting signed up. It is helpful to start there. Please check this page for details and helpful videos: -> Join a class – Help Center (remind.com)

As an example, let’s join the classroom “Delays and Cancellations.” The signup code for that class is @elsdelcanc.

There are 3 easy ways to sign-up for Remind.com and join the class:

1. Download the app for your smartphone (easiest)

a. Visit the Google Play Store or Apple App Store and download the Remind App

b. Open the Remind App

c. Sign in to your Remind account or create a new account, enter the information as requested.

d. Once logged in, use the “hamburger” menu in the top left of the screen, select Join a Class

e. Enter the class code: elsdelcanc after the @ symbol

2. Signup and sign in to Remind.com via your computer

a. Visit https://remind.com/join and enter the class code: elsdelcanc after the @ symbol

b. Click on the blue button to join the class

c. Enter your personal information to sign up or use the Google button to sign up with Google.

3. Signup via text

a. Send a text message to 81010 and in the body of the message enter the class code: @elsdelcanc

b. If you are a new user, follow the prompts to enter your full name and the “S” for Student or “P” for Parent. (If neither, just select Parent.)

**If you have read the signup instructions, watched the videos, and still need some help, please call our Tech Director (Matt Bostdorff) at 419-801-4120.

EAGLE WRESTLING CLUB PAVER FUNDRAISER

Please see the attached flyer for a fundraiser for the Wrestling Club.

Have a great rest of the week!

2.8.24

Dear Community Members:

Good Wednesday afternoon to you. Hope you are having a great week!

I have a couple of notes and some information from last night’s Facilities Task Force meeting.

KINDERGARTEN SCREENING

Kindergarten Screening for the 2024-2025 school year will be on April 10, April 11, & April 12, 2024 at the Eastwood Central Office. Screening times each day are: 8:30 a.m., 10:30 a.m. and 1:00 p.m. Click here for the sign up form & details. We will be welcoming the Class of 2037 next year!!

PLANNED 2-HOUR DELAY FOR MONDAY FEBRUARY 12TH

A quick reminder that we will be on a 2-Hour Delay for Monday February 12th for professional development.

FOLLOW-UP ON FEBRUARY 6TH FACILITIES MEETING

We had a nice group last night for our Facilities Meeting. Please know that these meetings are open to anyone who has an interest. We have not set our next meeting, but we will be looking at May.

Where did we start?

Earlier this year, the Board voted to work with the Ohio Facilities Construction Commission - OFCC to evaluate our current facilities and to explore options with OFCC for renovating or replacing the existing MS and HS. We have categorized this as a fact-finding exercise. The district will be debt free in June 2025 after paying off the elementary, and with an option to work with the Commission back on the table, it seemed prudent to explore our options.

hat has happened up to today?

We have met with OFCC twice with the latest meeting taking place on February 1st. The meeting focused on the process for updating enrollment projections and reviewing our current facilities to update the cost to replace vs. the cost to renovate ratio, both of which are over the threshold where they recommend replacing facilities. We also discussed and confirmed that if we move ahead with them, all qualifying construction costs will be co-funded with Eastwood’s share being 64% and the state share being 36%.
We also have met several times with the architects who designed the elementary and have worked with the district since 2008. Once again, they have offered their services to help us navigate the process at no cost.
When you work with OFCC, enrollment numbers translate into square footage in a building. The higher the numbers the more co-funded square footage. Our architect helps us convert the total number of square feet into spaces for classrooms, music and art rooms, lab spaces for science, Vo-Ag and Tech Ed, offices, corridors, bathrooms, gym spaces etc.
We have begun very early estimates of where we may need space in the building that is beyond what the state will co-fund (gymnasiums, science labs, additional classrooms for elective classes and for intervention specialists to name just a few). All space that is beyond the number of square feet co-funded by the state is called a locally funded initiative (LFI). That is all funded at a 100% level by the district.
We had more than 20 staff members take site visits in January to six schools that had been recently built. This was simply to get ideas and see how other schools have designed buildings.

Where are we going in the next 6-8 months?

We have decided to work with a consultant on a process called Visioning. Visioning helps all stakeholders - teachers, parents, community members, and students consider what kind of student experience we want for our kids and how a new or renovated facility would support that mission. This spring, the consultant will be laying the groundwork with our admin team on the process and building skills within our team to help facilitate the kinds of changes that may be required.

The consultant will facilitate the first visioning program with MS and HS staff on our Opening Day meeting in August.
We will have a large meeting with community members, staff, parents, administrators and Board Members in September.
We will also meet with student focus groups in the fall.
By November, we want all of the information from the visioning discussions to be compiled into one document for the Board.

We will be receiving information from OFCC on preliminary enrollment projections. That will help us identify the preliminary number of square feet that we would have to work with in a new facility, and the amount of SF they would renovate if we went down that path.
We will continue to hold Facilities meetings to keep interested community members up to date with what is going on. We would like to find a date in May to meet, but we all know how chaotic schedules get in the spring. We will also update the community again in September as we go through the various visioning discussions and get some solid numbers on co-funded square footage. This will help us understand places where we may be undersized.

Have a great rest of the week!!

2.2.24

Dear Community Members:

February is here and after a couple of crazy weeks, I am hoping we can enjoy some brighter days. Not sure if anyone noticed, but yesterday you could see some morning light around 7:15. The days will be getting longer!!

I have several items for you today.

QUICK REMINDER – NHS SPAGHETTI SUPPER IS TONIGHT

Just a reminder that the National Honor Society will have their annual Spaghetti Supper tonight from 4:30-7:00 in the HS Cafeteria. Tickets are $8.00 for adults and $6.00 for kids. Proceeds support the great work of our National Honor Society!

FACILITIES TASK FORCE MEETING – NEXT TUESDAY

We will hold a Facilities Task Force Meeting on Tuesday February 6th at 7:00 PM in the Elementary Cafeteria. This will also be a Special Board Meeting so all members can attend. Anyone is free to attend.

This will be a follow-up to our meeting in November and will update everyone on where things stand with OFCC. A lot of good overall information and a chance to understand just how the evaluation process works as we gather facts on the future of Eastwood’s MS and HS facilities.

JANUARY FINANCIAL REPORT

There are a few noteworthy items in the January numbers comparing current year (FY 24) to last year (FY 23).

Eastwood Schools Financials	Friday, February 2, 2024
REVENUE	FY 2023	FY 2024	$$ change	% change
General Property Tax	$3,515,286.06	$3,370,883.16	-$144,402.90	-4.11%
Tangible Personal Property Tax	$0.00	$0.00	$0.00	0.00%
Income Tax	$2,070,315.52	$2,059,891.62	-$10,423.90	-0.50%
Unrestricted Grants-In-Aid	$3,856,873.69	$4,029,863.67	$172,989.98	4.49%
Restricted Grants-In-Aid	$173,118.70	$187,310.26	$14,191.56	8.20%
Property Tax Allocation	$314,349.96	$312,455.72	-$1,894.24	-0.60%
All Other	$393,253.07	$1,995,408.17	$1,602,155.10	407.41%
Advances / Other	$129,544.60	$56,391.50	-$73,153.10	-56.47%
TOTAL REVENUE	$10,452,741.60	$12,012,204.10	$1,559,462.50	14.92%

EXPENSES	FY 2023	FY 2024	$$ change	% change
Personnel Services	$6,132,186.72	$5,959,984.66	-$172,202.06	-2.81%
Retirement / Insurance	$2,812,053.68	$3,204,796.49	$392,742.81	13.97%
Purchased Services	$639,418.34	$564,739.65	-$74,678.69	-11.68%
Supplies / Materials	$528,522.67	$472,574.58	-$55,948.09	-10.59%
Capital Outlay	$357,817.82	-$20,764.44	-$378,582.26	-105.80%
Other Objects	$942,437.20	$943,949.65	$1,512.45	0.16%
Advances / Transfers	$1,336,628.75	$1,337,074.25	$445.50	0.03%
TOTAL EXPENSES	$12,749,065.18	$12,462,354.84	-$286,710.34	-2.25%

REVENUES vs. EXPENSES	-$2,296,323.58	-$450,150.74	$1,846,172.84	-80.40%

PROPERTY AND INCOME TAX – It is unusual for both of these numbers to be lower year-over-year as we typically see growth. We are all getting our tax bills and know that the property tax numbers will go up and in our budget. We have an increase forecasted in the coming months. The income tax is slightly under which is surprising honestly This is nearly $100,000 less than what we have budgeted and worth keeping an eye on moving ahead.

ALL OTHER REVENUE – All Other Revenue includes things like interest income and tax abatements. This number looks like a huge increase, but in reality we received our Home Depot abatement payment of $675,000 in February last year, and we received it in January this year. I believe another of our payments also came in February last year as well. However, we did receive the payment from Peloton this year so that is a real increase. In addition, we continue to benefit from higher interest earnings on our deposits.

CAPITAL OUTLAY – There is going to be a shift here in the next 30-60 days. Last year we purchased four buses, and this year we have not purchased any. However, we did order two and expect them to be delivered this month. They will be roughly $140,000 each, almost double what we paid five years ago. We did have one bus in the budget for this year and one for next year. We thought those would come much later in the year, but we are able to get them into the fleet earlier. We will not be looking at a bus purchase next year most likely. This line item will look very different, very soon.

Have a great weekend everyone!!

1.24.24

Dear Community Members:
It’s a wonderful time of year in Northwest Ohio where we get a little bit of everything. Hopefully, we can build some consistency for everyone coming up.

CALAMITY DAYS AND MAKE-UPS

We have hit our 4^th calamity day and have one more day before we will need to begin making up days via online lessons. We are getting further away from the online days we used during the pandemic, so make-ups may not be as seamless as they were a year or two ago. I know some teachers and grade levels have already begun to prep kids and walk them through the process. Building principals and teachers will give you the specifics for times and schedules for online make-up days.

APRIL 8^TH – ECLIPSE DAY

There will be no school on Monday April 8^th which is the day of the eclipse. We will be taking the day as a calamity day. If we use our 5^th day prior to April 8^th, we will use blizzard bags to make up the day. This will be different from the online days simply because we have no idea how the networks will function on April 8^th with the potential influx of people. We have decided to bypass that and will be sending work home with students prior to the 8^th so they know what they are required to do. Again, that will only happen if we close one more day.

There has been a great deal made of the Eclipse Day. Wood County EMA and other agencies began discussing this with us a year ago. Based on experiences from other parts of the country, there are expectations that people from all over will migrate to the area to witness the event. Traffic, issues with communications and availability of services are concerns for us. I honestly have a hard time wrapping my head around what this will look like and can only go on the information that has been shared with us. More on this as it approaches, but I wanted to get this on your radar now.

Have a great rest of the week!!

1.18.24

Dear Community Members:
We have several items for you today including some very good news. Please see below.

PELOTON BUILDING SOLD – ABATEMENT CHECK RECEIVED

If you have seen media reports, you know that Peloton sold the building to First Solar. This is excellent news for the district. We were told about 10 days ago that this was in the closing stages and that the first abatement payment would be made from the sale proceeds. We received the check on Wednesday. This will have a positive impact on our 5-Year Forecast by improving the bottom line by just over $1.9 million. We will make adjustments officially to the forecast in May, but it will provide some cushion as our cash balance will be declining in those final couple of years.

EAGLE WAY HALL OF FAME INDUCTIONS

On the Alumni page of the website is a flyer for this year’s induction to be held on February 24th at 6:30 in the HS Gym. This year’s class includes Darla Boyk, Joe Hirzel Sr., John F. Kurfess, Aaron Lawniczak, and Tom and Jane Lingenfelder. A great class of distinguished alumni, community leaders, and school staff. It should be a great night.

FACILITIES MEETING

We will have a Facilities Meeting on Tuesday February 6th at 7:00 PM in the Elementary Cafeteria. Since our last meeting, we have sent staff out to tour newer facilities to look at how these newer spaces are designed to support and enhance the student experience. This background information will be useful as we look to begin the visioning process. Visioning involves a facilitated process where stakeholders engage in activities designed to identify priorities in a school design centered around creating the optimal student experience.

We will update everyone on where things are headed between now and the end of the school year. This will also be a Special Board Meeting so all members can attend.

Have a great night!

Brent Welker, Superintendent
Eastwood Local Schools

12.19.23

Dear Community Members!

We are wrapping up our last day before the start of Christmas Break. On behalf of the Board, we wish all of you a very Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!!

In the last week, I have had the chance to meet with multiple grade levels. While there are the obvious staff concerns, they have also been very positive about the year-to-date. Your kids are working hard, and staff members have been amazing as well!

I do have a couple of quick notes.

DIRECTOR OF OPERATIONS VACANCY

Our Director of Operations, Kris Wagoner, is stepping down on January 31^st to return to his previous job. To put it the terms of the Godfather, they made him an offer he could not refuse, to come back. We thank Kris for his service and wish him well.

That leaves us in the market for a new Director of Operations. Here is the posting in case you or anyone you may know is interested. Please share. With the holidays, this will be a very tight timeline so applications will be reviewed immediately.

Position – Director of Operations

Contract and Salary – 260-day, multi-year contract, and a competitive salary

Start Date – February 1, 2024

Deadline – Friday January 5^th or Until Filled

Eastwood Local Schools is searching for a Director of Operations.

· This position supervises performance of maintenance duties that relate to the school plant, buildings, facilities, equipment, grounds operations

· Supervise and direct employees on the maintenance staff.

· Ability to perform routine building maintenance as able including troubleshooting HVAC, plumbing. Mechanical and electrical systems.

· Assist with snow removal and ensuring district facilities are able to operate

· Maintain, supervise and implement Hazcom program

· Responsible for maintaining compliance with government agencies including but not limited to Department of Commerce, Bureau of Workers Compensation, and the EPA.

· Is part of the District Administration team.

· CDL or the ability to get a CDL is preferred

Candidates should submit the following information to Brent Welker, Superintendent at bwelker@eastwoodschools.org:

1. Cover letter describing your specific interest in the vacant position

2. Resume

3. Minimum of 3 Professional References

The Eastwood Local School District provides equal employment opportunities (EEO) to all

employees and applicants for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex,

national origin, age, disability, or genetics.

AFTER PROM FUNDRAISER

There is a handout attached describing a Kalahari Waterpark Day Pass fundraiser that will benefit the Eastwood After Prom Committee. This is a great last-minute Christmas gift idea that will light up the kids on Christmas morning. Please read for details.

Here is the link for ordering:

https://forms.office.com/r/8RDEAymmKa

Best wishes and safe travels!!

12.8.23

Dear Community Members:

Good Friday afternoon everyone! I do not have a great deal to share with you today, but we have the November Financial Report to share with a couple of other reminders.

WREATHS ACROSS AMERICA

Next Saturday, December 16^th, will be the laying of the wreaths at the graves of veterans in cemeteries in the Eastwood School district as part of the Wreaths Across America program. Thanks to the generosity of our community, there will be a wreath for every veteran, and there was an overflow of orders that will move into next year’s drive.

There will be a ceremony at Eastwood HS at 10:00 next Saturday morning, and volunteers will begin laying the wreaths at approximately 10:30 at all of the cemeteries in the district. I see families taking part in this every year and it is a wonderful way to come together. I highly encourage it.

NOVEMBER FINANCIAL REPORT

Below is the comparison between the current fiscal year 2024 and last year FY 2023 through the month of November. We are not quite at the halfway point of the fiscal year.

Eastwood Schools Financials	Thursday, December 7, 2023
REVENUE	FY 2023	FY 2024	$$ change	% change
General Property Tax	$3,421,612.92	$3,370,883.16	-$50,729.76	-1.48%
Tangible Personal Property Tax	$0.00	$0.00	$0.00	0.00%
Income Tax	$1,485,131.57	$1,485,640.26	$508.69	0.03%
Unrestricted Grants-In-Aid	$2,717,792.01	$2,955,018.26	$237,226.25	8.73%
Restricted Grants-In-Aid	$122,253.34	$135,777.15	$13,523.81	11.06%
Property Tax Allocation	$314,349.96	$312,455.72	-$1,894.24	-0.60%
All Other	$283,971.66	$424,336.90	$140,365.24	49.43%
Advances / Other	$126,643.28	$56,026.96	-$70,616.32	-55.76%
TOTAL REVENUE	$8,471,754.74	$8,740,138.41	$268,383.67	3.17%

EXPENSES	FY 2023	FY 2024	$$ change	% change
Personnel Services	$4,434,319.76	$4,187,958.20	-$246,361.56	-5.56%
Retirement / Insurance	$2,027,922.60	$2,340,586.43	$312,663.83	15.42%
Purchased Services	$456,784.70	$405,900.63	-$50,884.07	-11.14%
Supplies / Materials	$417,295.48	$394,058.76	-$23,236.72	-5.57%
Capital Outlay	$357,817.82	-$20,764.44	-$378,582.26	-105.80%
Other Objects	$623,887.81	$669,595.94	$45,708.13	7.33%
Advances / Transfers	$1,336,628.75	$1,337,074.25	$445.50	0.03%
TOTAL EXPENSES	$9,654,656.92	$9,314,409.77	-$340,247.15	-3.52%

REVENUES vs. EXPENSES	-$1,182,902.18	-$574,271.36	$608,630.82	-51.45%

There are three numbers I wanted to highlight this month and they are all big picture numbers.

TOTAL REVENUE – Our total revenue is up $268,383.67 over last year. This is very surprising given that our local revenues (property and income taxes) are actually down roughly $50,000 as compared to last year. I honestly can’t remember the last time when local revenues were down but overall revenue was up.

TOTAL EXPENSES – Expenses are down $340,247.15 as compared to last year. This is largely driven by our Capital Outlay. You will recall that we made a significant investment in new buses last year. Last month, I mentioned the substantial increase in the cost of buses. We do have an annual bus purchase in our forecasts moving ahead.

REVENUE VS. EXPENSES – When you combine the revenues and expenses together, we are $608,630.82 better this year than last. Anytime we are in better shape comparing the current year to the last, we are pleased. We have some interesting months coming up.

WE ARE IN THE WINTER DRIVING SEASON

Once the calendar hits December, we begin to see challenging travel conditions. As I have shared in year’s past, we like to empower parents during this time to make decisions on whether they are comfortable with their child driving to school. If we decide to go and you are not comfortable, all we ask is that you contact the office and let them know. We will not hold this against the student.

This is also the time of year where students do need to learn how to drive for the conditions. Kids need to leave early and slow down. They also need to budget time for cleaning their windows off. There will be days where roads are clean in the morning, but winds pick up and drift across the roads. We will give kids the heads up before they leave, and we need you to do the same. We also cannot close school every time there is snow on the roads. This is Ohio, and it is winter.

We appreciate your help!

LUCKEY CHRISTMAS IN THE VILLAGE

Luckey will be holding its Christmas in the Village this weekend. There are a number of activities on Saturday, and I have attached several. There is a Toy Drive, Live Nativity, and activities and bake sales downtown. Events will run all day.

Have a great weekend!!

11.21.23

Dear Community Members:

First off, Happy Thanksgiving to you and your family. Please travel safely while heading to see loved ones and friends over the long weekend.

I have a couple of important notes for you today including the November 5-Year Forecast and our application with OFCC to begin a fact-finding on current HS and MS facilities.

ANGEL TREE TAGS

There are Angel Tree tags available for Eastwood children at the State Bank in Luckey along with the library branches in Luckey and Pemberville. If you have questions you can call Cathy Miller at 419-351-7367 (Luckey) or Marty Braucksieck (Pemberville)at 419-494-8191.

FIVE-YEAR FORECAST

Last night, the Board approved the November 5-Year Forecast. This tool is broad and makes assumptions on financials five years out. I think we all know that predicting things that far in advance presents significant challenges. Nevertheless, we use this tool to look at where we may be in future years. The document is attached, but I have some overarching thoughts that are reflected in the numbers.

1. Bottom Line – The first thing I always look at on any 5-year forecast is line 15.01 – Unreserved Fund Balance. If you look under Fiscal Year 2028, it shows that we are expecting in a worst-case scenario to have a cash balance of $3,404,315. Frankly, when our annual expenditures were $14,000,000 (fifteen years ago) that number looked better. However, we are in the black and again this is a worst-case projection.

2. What is not in the forecast? Sometimes it is critical to identify what is not in the forecast, because that can often be a deciding factor moving ahead when addressing the district’s financial health. In January, Peloton owes us $389,000 for their abatement payment. We have been told that it is in their interest to make that payment, but we do not have those funds anywhere in our forecast. We also continue to wait on a resolution to the Nexus Pipeline litigation. Currently, they are paying at 38% of the valuation assigned by the Tax Commissioner. We are hoping when this is resolved it will be closer to 48-50%. That will add dollars, plus they will owe us some back taxes with interest. It may still be 12-24 months before any resolution which at this point is beyond ridiculous. Over five years to resolve this. Finally, we have approved an agreement for some potential buildings that will serve as data centers on 582 and 25. We still do not have a date when construction is slated to begin, so there is nothing in the budget to reflect that. All of these could provide some upside in our numbers, but budgeting this is risky.

3. Some challenges moving ahead on expenses – It is hard to define just one thing here, so I am going to break this down.

a. Wage pressures – The pressure on wages, especially with our classified staff, is becoming a headwind. The competition for all workers has led to an effort to increase pay. While this is great for workers, and arguably well deserved, it will put pressures on expenditures.

b. Subscriptions for curriculum – When I first started, you could purchase a reading or math series for your students. You bought the books, resources and other materials and only had a reoccurring workbook cost that would be a student fee. If you took care of your resources, you could extend the use of the series and supplement as needed. Today, everything is a consumable material with an online component. You may be able to sign a 3-4 year contract, but when that expires, you need to renew or replace at higher costs. This creates a never-ending cycle of replacement which increases costs.

c. Benefits – We all understand that medical and prescription drugs costs are going up. The biggest area where we see cost escalation is in prescription drugs. There are very expensive designer drugs to treat very acute conditions, but oftentimes they immediately qualify hit our stop/loss reinsurance. Eastwood is part of a self-funded insurance consortium with schools in Wood County (Perrysburg is not a member). As Chair of this consortium, I see the claims data and understand the trends. Thankfully, some steps have been taken to take advantage of programs that help curb the costs, but there is only risk to the upside. We have a 7% increase in premium costs plugged into our forecasts.

d. Increase in the needs of our students – Our students are our #1 priority and meeting their needs is the sole reason we exist. However, as their needs have increased over the last 3-5 years, we have added staff in the form of teachers and paraprofessionals to help meet this demand. We have been using pandemic funds to offset some of these expenses, but those funds will be gone placing these costs in the 5-Year Forecast.

e. Inflation – While price comparisons year over year have slowed, there are places where the prices have continued to increase. Last year, we talked about our heavy investment in school buses where we locked in a solid price for four buses – roughly $80,000 each. Bids are now coming back at $130,000 per bus. That is the worst example, but inflation will be an ongoing item.

4. Elementary Building – In line 5.01, you can see that we transfer a sizable amount to cover the payments on the elementary school. Those stop in FY 2025 when we make the final payment in June 2025. That will positively impact our general fund.

When we create a budget, we look to make sure that we are covered on potential expenses, and forecast conservatively on revenue. No one ever wants to be caught in a position where poor forecasting leads to an unexpected financial challenge.

If you have questions feel free to reach out.

ADDRESSING THE LONG-TERM FUTURE OF OUR FACILITIES

Last night, the Board voted on a resolution of intent to participate in the Expedited Local Partnership Program with OFCC. In doing so, we will be able to go through the planning process with OFCC to determine a number of things. In essence, this is a fact-finding process where we can fully understand the scope and costs associated with new construction or renovation of the middle school and high school.

The planning process involves an assessment of our current facilities, development of enrollment projections, and the identification of the number of co-funded square feet we would have to work with in new construction. Budgets would also be developed IF, they feel that the buildings can be renovated. This will take roughly 12 months. At the end of the process, there is no obligation to move forward, but the Board would have excellent information for the future.

At the same time, we need to identify how we want to educate students in the next 30-40 years. This process will involve staff and administration visits to other schools and a visioning process that will bring together members of the community – parents, students, and other stakeholders – along with teachers and admins. The visioning process is led by a facilitator who is experienced in working with large groups and synthesizing information into a usable format for decision makers. There will also be forums where information will be shared with community members for their input.

This will be yet another multi-generational moment for our district. The HS was built in 1960 and added onto in 2000. The MS was built in 1970. Consider that the involvement of the United States in WWI in 1917 was as far away from 1970 as we are today – Ok that blew my mind when I did the math. It kind of puts this discussion into the proper perspective.

There are three things to keep in mind while considering how to proceed.

1. Get it right – Make sure the decisions that we make will stand the test of time, including infrastructure.

2. Build to last – Given the cycle of major actions on our facilities, it is likely that this will be the last project undertaken until 2050.

3. Future ready – We need to make sure that we are looking ahead to the educational needs of students while providing flexibility for future educational leaders of Eastwood Schools.

By working with OFCC, Eastwood Schools will still get 36% of any qualifying costs co-funded. As time progresses and we learn more from OFCC, we will be able to put that into dollars and cents for you.

Simply put, we need to go through this process so we can understand the costs associated with upgrading or replacing our current middle and high school. This is a fact-finding operation.

Lots of information today. Again, feel free to reach out to me with questions.

Have a Happy Thanksgiving!

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