Swanton High School could get a student newspaper again if there is enough interest on the part of the student body.
Mikayla Rochelle, a junior, appeared before the school board Jan. 4 to propose the idea of resurrecting the publication after a break of several years. She said there would be a meeting after school to gauge interest by students in producing a paper.
The minimum number of students needed to produce the paper would be 10, Rochelle said. The publication would published on a quarterly basis to start.
The cost to publish would be $240 for a four-page paper and $260 for an eight-page issue, Rochelle said.
Teacher Allison Pelz would be the advisor, Rochelle said. The paper would be an extracurricular activity, she said.
In other news,
Band Director Samantha Preisner asked the board for funding for new band uniforms. The current band has 65 members and she expects the band to average 55-75 students over the next few years.
She would like 90-100 uniforms of varying sizes to accommodate new members and for spares. The uniforms in use now are about 15 years old, she said.
“Not all make it,” Preisner said.
She estimates she will need $38,000 to purchase the new uniforms. There are some fundraising activities planned, she said.
Delivery is set for late August and Preisner said she has half of the bill paid for. To help reduce costs, a couple of band moms have agreed to clean the uniforms, she said.
The money needed for the uniforms is not in the district’s regular budget, Superintendent Jeff Schlade said.
The board accepted the following donations:
•$100 from Adam Pancoast to Recreation Program
•$200 from Kevin & Judy Young to BackPack Buddies
•$100 from Tim Toland to Girls Basketball
•$40 from Mike Thompson to Girls Basketball
•$140 from Robert Truckor to Girls Basketball
•$200 from VFW of Ohio to Girls Basketball
•Three $100 gift certificates for All Star Driver Education Program
The board approved the tax rate resolution for 2017. The following rates are the effective millage collected by the district.
•General Fund (with Emergency Levy of 4.45 mills) = 26.99 mills (22.54 mills on •Agricultural / Residential Property)
•Bond Fund (fully voted 7.4 mills) = 6.0 mills
•Permanent Improvement Fund = 1.0 mills
•Swanton Local School District Summary of Local Revenues Tax Year 2016/Payable in 2017
•Voted Mills Effective Mills for Residential / Agricultural Property
•Inside Mills
•Unvoted mills within the 10-mill (1%) limitation authorized by the Ohio Constitution and allocated by the County Budget Commission
•General Operating – 2.80 mills
•Permanent Improvement – 1.00 mills
•Continuing Term Current Expense Levies
These levies were approved by the voters of the District as continuous levies.
•48.5 voted mills – 19.74 mills
•2012 4.45 Mill, 5 year Emergency Levy for $825,000 – 4.45 mills
•Renewed in August 2012, renew or replace by Nov 2017
•This will collect through Tax Year 2016, payable in 2017
•2001 – 7.4 Mill
•25 year Bond Issue 6.00 mills
•Passed in November 2000 to build new high school This will collect through Tax Year 2024, payable in 2025 Bonds Refunded in 2015, Final payment due 12/1/2024
Summary: Total of all Voted & Inside Millage
•51.30 mills for General Operating
•1.00 mills for Permanent Improvement
•7.40 mills for Bond Issue
Total Effective Millage 26.99 mills for General Operating
•1.00 mills for Permanent Improvement
•6.00 mills for Bond Issue Millage counted toward the 20 mill floor – 22.54 mills for General Operating
District Assessed Valuation – $ 185,313,820
At its annual organization meeting, the board selected Kris Oberheim as president and Steve Brehmer as vice president.
The board will continue to meet the third Wednesday of the month at 7 p.m. except for Sept. 13 and Nov. 8.
James Pruitt may be reached at publisher@thevillagereporter.com
