ANCHOR INTRO:

Election season is drawing to a close…

One week from today voters will determine the future of the Streetsboro City schools.

With two levies on the ballot this year, and a number of voters still on the fence, the decision is down to the wire.

Lauren Forthofer has more.

PACKAGE:

Streetsboro City schools have already made significant budget cuts since January of 2010.

Now, the district is counting on the passing of BOTH its’ levies in order to protect the future quality of their education system.

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Issue 2 is a 3.5 million dollar renewal levy of a 5-year operating levy. Passing this levy will bring no additional cost to the taxpayers. These funds are already being collected and used and would bring no change to the resident.

Issue 3 is a 3.9 million dollar, 5-year additional operating levy. This needs to be passed in order to continue the school’s day-to-day operations. Collecting an annual 1.6 million dollars will be used for textbooks, utilities, wages and materials for students. The breakdown states that a homeowner of a $100,000 home will pay an estimated $10 a month is passed.

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Principal of Streetsboro City High School , Eric Rauschkolb, believes that the importance of the levies reflects back to quality of education seen in past generations.

SOT: Eric Rauschkolb

“WE OWE IT TO OUR STUDENTS. SOMEONE THOUGHT THAT IT WAS WORTH IT TO FUND OUR EDUCATION SO WE HAD THOSE OPPORTUNITIES. AND I’M PASSIONATE THAT IT IS VERY IMPORTANT THAT WE PROVIDE OUR STUDENTS WITH THAT SAME LEVEL OF COMMITMENT.”

Parents of Streetsboro students have concerns about the impending decisions regarding their busing system, which was cut last January. Sparkle Riley says that transportation is a main decision-making factor for next weeks voting….

SOT: Sparkle Riley

“FOR A PARENT LIKE ME, MOTHER OF FOUR, HAVING TO PICK UP AND DROP OFF…WITH THE WEATHER BEING BAD I JUST THINK IT WOULD BE A GOOD IDEA FOR THEM TO GO AHEAD AND KEEP THE BUS SERVICE SO THE KIDS CAN GET HOME SAFELY.”

Streetsboro superintendent, Linda Keller, stresses that the support or non-support of the levies determines the continuing ability for their school system to teach and educate the students of their community.

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“BOTH LEVIES NEED TO PASS FOR THE DISTRICT TO CONTINUE PROVIDING THE QUALITY OF EDUCATION OUR STUDENTS DESERVE…..IF THEY FAIL, WE WILL HAVE TO IMPLEMENT DEEP REDUCTION MEASURES.”

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Rauschkolb says he does not want to disappoint his students if the levies fail.

SOT

“I DON’T WANT TO HAVE TO TELL STUDENTS THAT THERE ARE NO EXTRA CURRICULARS THAT THEY CAN BE INVOLVED WITH. I DON’T WANT TO TELL STUDENTS THAT HEY YOUR FAVORITE TEACHER GOT LAID OFF BECAUSE OF BUDGET CUTS.”

For TV2 News, I’m Lauren Forthofer

TAG:

The Streetsboro school district has been making significant cuts throughout this past year.

An estimated $1,350,000 in savings has been made thus far and they remain an Effective school district as noted by the Local Report Card.

Next weeks voting will be crucial for determining the next step for the district.

CG: ERIC RAUSCHKOLB, PRINCIPAL OF STREETSBORO HIGH SCHOOL

SPARKLE RILEY, PARENT OF STREETSBORO STUDENT

LINDA KELLER, SUPERINTENDENT OF STREETSBORO CITY SCHOOLS