By Linda Dillman
Staff Writer
The Canal Winchester Board of Education took the first step in renewing a five-year substitute levy and placing it on the November ballot.
“This is a resolution of necessity,” said Treasurer Nick Roberts, “For the substitution of a substitute tax levy. Then next month, we’ll approve a resolution to proceed with the substitute tax levy.”
Board member Kevin Butler emphasized that, even though ballot language lists the levy as a substitute, there is no new tax money for citizens.
“They (board of elections) do not let us put the verbiage on (the ballot) as a renewal, but this is technically a renewal,” said Roberts, before emphasizing “no new money.”
Roberts said his office plans to pursue a 10-year continuing levy when the substitute levy expires again in 2029. He said he did not know how much support there would be at this time to switch to a continuing levy request for the next five-year cycle.
Other CW Schools news
•The board approved a three-year contract with the Madison Township Police Department for a school resource officer. The previous contract was for one year.
“More schools are hiring SROs and they (police departments) are having to hire new officers to replace those going from non-SROs to the SRO world,” said Superintendent Kiya Hunt. “They asked if we could go from a one year to a three year commitment. That way, their commitment in hiring makes sense as well.”
According to the memorandum of understanding, the district will reimburse the township 70 percent of the officer’s salary and benefits, along with related costs such as equipment and vehicle use.
The position is bid out internally in the Madison Township department and the salary cost is based on the officer selected. The remaining 30 percent is covered by the township when the officer returns to regular duty while school is on summer break.
Goals of the SRO program include ensuring a safe learning environment for all students and adults on school property, preventing and reducing potential harm related to incidents of school violence, foster a positive school climate, and create partnerships with behavioral health and other care providers in the community.
•Work Based Learning coordinator Kristin Ankrom updated the board on the district’s Business Advisory Council activities, which fosters the growth of business partnerships and creates a better understanding of the needs of local employers.
The first state-approved engineering pre-apprenticeship program was created in Canal Winchester through a partnership with Nifco America and the district. Two Canal Winchester High School students were selected in fall 2022 to participate in the program, which provides on-site work-based knowledge.
“We identified businesses and the roles of the advisory council, which are aligned with the state,” Ankrom said. “We started with a steering committee. The main core group meets quarterly. We also have work groups.”
The Ohio Department of Education outlined quality practices for BACs, such as the development of professional skills for future careers, partnership building and experience coordination.
Programming includes a CISCO Academy networking pathway; along with bio-medical, business and engineering pathways.
“The bus-to-business concept is taking our students to businesses in the community,” said Ankrom, “If they don’t know they’re there. I’d like to find a way to do this with educators.”
Hunt called the work the district is doing in work-based learning and the Business Advisory Council “extraordinary” and invited any business interested in becoming involved to contact her or Ankrom.
“We’ll get you plugged in,” said Hunt.
