Wednesday, February 02, 2000
Monroe sets forth what-if school plan
Need for portable classrooms seen
BY SUE KIESEWETTER
Enquirer Contributor
MONROE — Planners of a proposed Monroe school district offered a preview Tuesday of what the new district might look like in its first year.
Among key needs identified: 20 modular classrooms to house the 1,572 students expected if Monroe voters next month approve splitting from Middletown/Monroe Schools.
Three of the units — each having space for two classrooms — probably would be placed at Monroe Elementary, with another seven needed at Lemon-Monroe High School, which would house about 1,000 middle and high school students. The high school building this year holds 879 students, grades 9 to 12.
Renting the classrooms would cost about $90,300 each year, with a one-time set-up cost of $165,000, according to estimates prepared by a facilities committee.
That's part of a first-year budget that projects the new district's revenue at nearly $11 million and expenses just over $9.5 million, said Suzi Rubin, a member of Monroe's Executive Committee.
On Tuesday, each of six subcommittees presented recommendations to the Executive Committee on how the Monroe children living in Butler and Warren counties would be served by the new district. The committee is overseeing formation of the district, but a permanent school board would be named by the Ohio Department of Education.
“We're preparing a very conservative, worst-case budget,” Mrs. Rubin said. “We've got a lot of extra built in.”
For the first year, residents will see very little changes in curriculum from what is offered by the Middletown/Monroe Schools, Mrs. Rubin said.
At the high school, seventh- and eighth-graders would remain on an eight-period day; students in grades 9 to 12 likely would keep their block schedule. Starting and ending times would be different for middle and high school students, who would share one building.
Class sizes would average 15 students for kindergarten and 20 for first grade. In grades two through six, that would increase to 25 students. In future years, class size would be reduced to 15 for first-graders and 20 for those in grades two through six.
Sports teams for grades 7 to 12 would remain in the Mid-Miami League at least one year, and a schedule plan has been set for middle school competition in the same sports offered at Verity Middle. Eligibility requirements for sports and other clubs are recommended to increase from a grade-point average of 1.55 on a 4.0 scale to 1.75.
Graduation requirements in the proposed district would gradually increase from 20 credits for the Class of 2000 to 26 credits for the Class of 2003.
Forums to explain the proposal will be held at 7 p.m. Feb. 17 and 2 p.m. Feb. 20 at Monroe United Methodist Church, and at 7 p.m. Feb. 24, at Countryside Village mobile home park.
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