I have a three year old, who will be entering school sooner than I'd like and am very concerned about whether there will be a new elementary school and kindergarten built for our children. I know that within the last 5 years our neighborhood has probably tripled in population, and most of the new population has been young families with children. The population continues to expand with new housing developments growing everywhere you look. I am just wondering if anyone has heard if we are getting a new school and of course, more teachers. If Summit is our only alternative, I might have to consider private school, as will many other families. Please let me know if anyone out there hears of any new developments in this area. I'm sure I'm not the only concerned parent.

Thank you,

Josephine Saykhamphone

Reply

Well Josephine, We had a bond issue in the last vote that failed. As of now there is only one school. I guess some of the residents of the area really don't care about the quality of education for their children and like them being in overcrowded and outdated schools. I personally am looking to get out of the area before my daughter has to attend school. The quality of the area is really starting to go down also. Developers are over-burdening the area and home builders are sticking people in houses that they can't afford. I wouldn't look for relief in the school system anytime soon.

Well... About the levy...

The last levy that passed was supposedly a building levy, to build a new elementary school (I believe) and or a middle school (I've just heard a few ideas of what was to be built) This levy was billed as a ''no new taxes'' levy because there were no new taxes, it was an extension of prior taxes due to expire.

The last levy that failed was an operating levy, to help fund school activities and teachers. as a result of the failing of this levy the elementary school may be loosing it's library (Reduced to a traveling cart) and other curriculum.

The negative campaign put on the last election season (the one where the levy failed) was put on by some folks (err, this is my impression) that do not see the community benefit of a good, well-funded school system.

Sure, your taxes go up a bit more, but your community benefits all around from it. Your property value will go up, and will help bring people into some of these vacant houses we have around this neighborhood.

We have a beautiful brand spankin new high school, and I think it would be great if we could continue to grow our school district. Esp when this area is growing as quickly as it is!

By Ben Buxton

Motion approved to purchase land

Read on the licking heights page that the motion to purchase land for the purpose of building a school was approved on April 19th, nothing about when building will begin, just that the purchase has been approved.

By Ben Buxton