Superintendent Community Updates

4/18/24

Dear Community Members: Testing season has arrived. This can be a very stressful time for everyone. Please remind students that all we can ever ask for is their best effort. We have a couple of notes for you today.

UPCOMING FACILITIES MEETING

Our next Facilities Task Force meeting will be held on Monday May 20^th at 7:00 PM in the Elementary Cafeteria.

We will begin with a brief update, but the vast majority of the meeting will be centered on a single question. What does a complete Eastwood Campus look like?

We are considering options for our middle and high school students now that our number with the state has come back up and the elementary will be paid off next June. Any project will impact the entire site, and if that is the case, we have to incorporate such a project into a long-term vision for our campus.

This is part of developing a complete vision for the district that includes facilities, instruction and the overall student and staff experience. Next fall, we will begin working with teachers on the educational vision for our students. There will also be a morning meeting where we will engage with all stakeholders in developing a complete vision for Eastwood Schools.

Data collected from all of these meetings will be presented to the Board in the late fall next year.

This meeting is open to anyone who may be interested.

MARCH FINANCIAL REPORT

The March Financial Report will be somewhat skewed because we did not receive our final property tax settlement from the Wood County Auditor. Typically, we have that in hand by the end of March. While not in this report, we have since received the settlement, and it is less than what was forecasted. We are awaiting an explanation.

It is example 2,146 of why you never take what is projected on the revenue side as gospel. We did reduce the projections for our budget, and it still may be shy. We will have more for you in early May.

Here is the FY 2023 vs. FY 2024 comparison through March.

Eastwood Schools Financials	Wednesday, April 17, 2024
REVENUE	FY 2023	FY 2024	$$ change	% change
General Property Tax	$7,680,931.72	$7,147,464.61	-$533,467.11	-6.95%
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	$4,923,748.23	$5,051,210.99	$127,462.76	2.59%
Restricted Grants-In-Aid	$222,884.92	$239,773.77	$16,888.85	7.58%
Property Tax Allocation	$314,349.96	$312,455.72	-$1,894.24	-0.60%
All Other	$1,733,292.45	$2,437,722.16	$704,429.71	40.64%
Advances / Other	$129,615.60	$56,391.50	-$73,224.10	-56.49%
TOTAL REVENUE	$17,075,138.40	$17,304,910.37	$229,771.97	1.35%

EXPENSES	FY 2023	FY 2024	$$ change	% change
Personnel Services	$7,743,540.01	$7,632,886.32	-$110,653.69	-1.43%
Retirement / Insurance	$3,861,724.03	$4,036,646.94	$174,922.91	4.53%
Purchased Services	$808,805.36	$778,332.44	-$30,472.92	-3.77%
Supplies / Materials	$714,960.76	$596,837.71	-$118,123.05	-16.52%
Capital Outlay	$359,917.82	$260,827.56	-$99,090.26	-27.53%
Other Objects	$1,229,954.75	$1,222,560.39	-$7,394.36	-0.60%
Advances / Transfers	$1,336,628.75	$1,342,074.25	$5,445.50	0.41%
TOTAL EXPENSES	$16,055,531.48	$15,870,165.61	-$185,365.87	-1.15%

REVENUES vs. EXPENSES	$1,019,606.92	$1,434,744.76	$415,137.84	40.72%

A couple of quick notes.

1. We have still spent $185,365.87 less than what we spent last year through the same months. That’s good!

2. After consistently showing growth since its inception, we have a slight decrease in income tax collections, $10,423.90. This has been growing for us consistently over the life of the income tax. We will see where things stack up in May when the final income tax collection comes in.

3. We are closing in on the end of the fiscal year with 3 months to go. Not expecting any surprises although the final income tax payment is very important. Hoping for a good end of the year!

STUDENT AND COMMUNITY EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES

1. Cheerleading Coach - Eastwood HS is seeking a qualified individual as Cheerleading Head Coach for the 2024-25 school year. Interested candidates should send a cover letter, resume and three professional references to Scott Sorg, Athletic Director, at ssorg@eastwoodschools.org. Deadline for application is April 22, 2024.

2. Student Summer Workers – We will begin reviewing applications for summer workers next week. Need any stragglers to get them in by Monday morning.

3. Belmont Country Club’s looking for high school aged help for the summer. It’s early mornings and working outside. Other Eastwood High Schoolers have enjoyed their time working here. Please contact Eric Smith at 419-346-4347 if interested.

4. Book Buddies Coordinator – Library

Employment Hours: Temporary Part-time (May - July), 18-20 hours per week

Salary Range/Grade: $14.00 per hour

The Pemberville Public Library is seeking applicants for the position of Book Buddies Coordinator. The Book Buddy Coordinator is responsible for pairing Buddies and Tutors for the weekly two-hour sessions, and for scheduling all programs. The Book Buddy Program generally runs 5 weeks, concurrently with the Summer Reading Program. The younger students (Buddies-grades K-3) are matched up with older students (Tutors- grades 4-12) for 2-hour sessions once per week at each location. Tutors may sign up to volunteer at more than one session per week. The Book Buddy Coordinator is responsible for recruiting Buddies and Tutors by marketing the programs to the schools and the general public. The Book Buddy Coordinator is responsible for training tutors in best practices for reading assistance. Planning and implementing a tutor training session before the programs begin is a requirement.

Interested parties can download a Job Application Form and full job description.

For further information, please contact:

Laurel Rakas, Children Services Coordinator - email: rakaslaurel@gmail.com, phone: 419-287-4012 or Director Ariel Jacobs - email: ajacobs@seolibraries.org, phone: 419-287-4012

Submit a completed Job Application, along with resume and list of three professional references to: Laurel Rakas, Children Services Coordinator at rakaslaurel@gmail.com or Director Ariel Jacobs at ajacobs@seolibraries.org. Applications received by Friday, April 19, 2024 will receive first priority.

CHOIR AWARDS AND RECOGNITIONS

Congratulations to Sophomore, Soprano, Lexi Hoffman for being selected to be a part of the 2024 All-Ohio State Fair Youth Choir! Lexi will take part in several choral concerts each day of the fair beginning Thursday, July 18th through Sunday, August 4th in Columbus!

Congratulations to the following 7th & 8th grade choir students who participated in the 2024 OMEA District 1 Junior High Solo & Ensemble competition this past Saturday, April 6th at Northwood Local Schools!

7TH GRADE

Bryce Johnson, Baritone Solo, Superior (I) Rating

Max Newman, Tenor Solo, Superior (I) Rating

Elena Olivarez, Cello Solo, Superior (I) Rating

8TH GRADE

Teagan Lloyd, Mezzo Soprano Solo, Excellent (II) Rating

Sophia Rankin, Mezzo Soprano Solo, Superior (I) Rating

Aine Rodden, Mezzo Soprano Solo, Superior (I) Rating

Grace Rudd, Mezzo Soprano Solo, Excellent (II) Rating

Amara Wilton, Alto Solo, Superior (I) Rating

Ellie Iiams, Mezzo Soprano Solo, Superior (I) Rating

Caroline Loew, Mezzo Soprano Solo, Superior (I) Rating

Austin Cayton, Bass Solo, Superior (I) Rating

7TH & 8TH GRADE

SA Ensemble (Addison Hannan, Ellie Iiams, Tally Jones, Teagan Lloyd, Elena Olivarez, Sophia Rankin, Julianne Stolar, Amara Wilton) Superior (I) Rating

Well done Eagles!!!

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

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