Beavercreek schools superintendent recommends teacher cuts, shorter days

Credit: Chris Stewart

Credit: Chris Stewart

UPDATE @ 9:45 p.m.: Beavercreek City Schools Superintendent Paul Otten is recommending cutting faculty and other positions as well as shortening the school day for middle and high school students.

Nothing is being decided tonight as he presented his plan to save the district money.

Under the plan, 34 positions -- including 16 faculty positions -- would be eliminated; middle and high school days would be shortened by 15 minutes, while the elementary school day would be increased by 30 minutes to make bus transportation more efficient.

Here’s what the plan would mean as far as start plans for district schools:

  • 7:30 a.m. - 2:15 p.m. for Coy and Ankeney middle schools
  • 8:15 a.m. - 3 p.m. for Beavercreek high, Ferguson Hall, Parkwood and E.G. Shaw elementary schools
  • 9 a.m. - 3:45 p.m. for Fairbrook, Main, Trebein and Valley elementary schools

Otten said the plan would allow the district to shorten bus rides and eliminate more than a dozen routes.

All school days would be six hours and 45 minutes, under the plan.

Otten also is recommending raising athletic participation fees.

He said all of his recommendations would save the district approximately $2.695 million, including $2.2 million in personnel.

Brian Jarvis, a former Beavercreek City Council member, said he thought the changes are necessary given the levy failure last November.

"It's a tough choice to make," he said, but noted he appreciates what was recommended Thursday night.

He has a granddaughter in first grade and twin grandchildren in kindergarten next year.

Jarvis said the pay-to-play fees will cost as much as it would have cost in property taxes had the levy passed.

"That's the shame of all this," he said.

More changes would be necessary if a levy fails in May.

EARLIER REPORT

Voters in the Beavercreek City Schools district may see two levies on the May ballot.

The school board meets tonight and Superintendent Paul Otten is expected to make recommendations for cuts in services that would take effect next school year. Voters in November rejected a 6.2-mill tax that would have generated about $11.4 million to cover operating expenses.

The board will also consider resolutions on placing two levies on the May ballot.

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One is a renewal of a five-year, 1-mill tax that supports improvements to the district’s facilities. The other is a proposed emergency levy that would generate more than $11 million annually to cover operating costs, according to the school board’s agenda.

The board meets at 6:20 p.m. at Main Elementary auditorium, 2942 Dayton Xenia Road.

This news organization is working to learn more about the recommended cuts and the district’s financial affairs.

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