Thursday, October 07, 1999
Work on new school district begins
Voter OK pending, but committee seeks help
BY SUE KIESEWETTER
Enquirer Contributor
MONROE — Residents here have the opportunity to create a school district that meets the unique needs of their city — provided everyone gets involved.
That's the message the Committee on Reviewing Education (CORE) brought to more than 120 people who attended the group's first informational session Tuesday.
“The entire state will be watching what we do. We can make this anything we want it to be,” said Jon Nerenberg, a founding member of CORE. “This is not a Jon Nerenberg district ... this is a Monroe district. We have the outline; now you're going to make the puzzle.”
The Ohio Board of Education cleared the way for creating a Monroe district last month when it reversed its 1997 decision and approved CORE's petition to split from the Middletown/Monroe school district. If voters approve in March, the new dis trict would be in operation July 1. It's the first time the state board has approved the deconsolidation of a school district.
In the meantime, the Monroe community needs to make a lot of decisions about the schools, said Suzi Rubin, spokeswoman for and founding member of CORE. The group is asking for community members to serve on several committees: superintendent/treasurer search, legal, finance, transition team, facilities, staff/curriculum and sports/
extracurriculars.
Residents who attended the 90-minute program wanted to know whether taxes would increase, what improvements would be made to Lemon-Monroe High School and the associated cost, if there would be a middle or junior high school, and whether Middletown students at Lemon-Monroe High School could remain there.
Teachers wanted to know whether they would keep seniority, pay and benefits if they chose to join the new district. Others asked about curriculum, and whether their children could continue at Central Academy in Middletown.
“We don't have the all the answers now, but we hope to have them before the election so you know exactly what you'll be voting on,” Mr. Nerenberg said.
Until the committees are running, some questions about the new district won't be resolved, Ms. Rubin said. What is clear, though, organizers say, is that all children now attending Lemon-Monroe High School may continue there until they graduate through an open-enrollment process.
The new district would open with close to 1,100 students who live within its boundaries, plus any from neighboring communities through the open-enrollment process.
The same classes, sports and other extracurricular offerings that are available now would be offered in the Monroe district, CORE members said. Teachers and other staff members who opted to stay would retain full seniority and pay.
The ratio of students to teachers in elementary grades would remain around 25 to 1 the first year but drop to 20 to 1 the second year.
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