Recommendation Made to Board of Education to Seek Additional Operating Revenue
During the March meeting of the Bexley Schools Board of Education, Treasurer Kyle Smith provided a financial update and advised Board members that the district should seek additional revenue in order to maintain current operations, including student programming and services. Additional revenue, he said, would allow the district to avoid making cuts.
Yesterday, the Treasurer provided information on levy types and non-specific examples of the timing of levy-authorized revenue during the April Board meeting. Mr. Smith’s presentation was a preview of the school district’s Finance Advisory Council’s upcoming work when members will review various levy types and funding scenarios.
“Districts like Bexley do not typically receive enough inflationary increased revenues from property taxes or state funding,” Mr. Smith said. The last time Bexley City Schools was on the ballot requesting additional revenue was in 2019.
Mr. Smith’s March recommendation to seek additional revenue was in response to a recent financial evaluation. The evaluation confirmed that without additional revenue the district’s operating cash balance will be fewer than 70 days in fiscal year 2027 – the fourth year of the school district’s most recent Five-Year Forecast. The treasurer, abiding by the Board’s cash-reserve policy, reported the finding late last year and followed up with a new evaluation that was recently completed with the assistance of the Finance Advisory Council.
It is expected that the Finance Advisory Council’s work in the coming weeks will help inform the recommendation for a November 2024 ballot issue seeking additional funding for operations. The Board of Education will likely entertain a levy decision during its May board meeting.
Bexley Schools Receives Second Consecutive State Audit Award
Pictured (from left): Dr. Jason Fine, superintendent; Joanne Pickrell, Board vice president; Kyle Smith; Dr. Jonathan Baker, Board member; Victoria Powers, Board president; and Scott Brown, Ohio Auditor of State’s regional liaison.Only 6% of the public entities audited by the Ohio Auditor of State have a clean audit and Bexley City Schools is one of them – for the second consecutive year!
Scott Brown, regional liaison for the state Auditor’s office, attended yesterday’s meeting of the Bexley Board of Education to present the Auditor’s Award to Kyle Smith, school treasurer/CFO. “Clean” audits show no findings for recovery or indication of any weaknesses or deficiencies in their record-keeping or financial processes, nor indicate any financial or other concerns, such as public-records or banking issues.
“It’s important to note that this award puts your organization into a very select group,” Mr. Brown said during the Board meeting. “This award actually represents the hard work of all the school district’s administrative staff, Board, and the employees who make every effort each day to attain accounting excellence. We’d also like to recognize the fiscal office for all they’ve done and for watching over every dollar that comes into the system. Specifically, we’d like to recognize Kyle Smith for his leadership, professionalism, and exceptional commitment to fiscal integrity.”
Middle School Names Students, Staff of the Month for March
The Middle School PBIS Committee yesterday named Students and Staff of the Month for March.
Congratulations to 8th grader Theo Williamson, 7th grader Semih Goodman, 6th grader McKenna Foster, all recipients of the monthly award that recognizes students for being safe, respectful, and responsible throughout the month. Congratulations also to BMS Spanish Teacher Lindsay Shankle, who was named Staff Member of the Month!
PBIS – Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports – is practiced throughout Bexley Schools and recognizes the goodness among our students and staff. In the Middle School, staff nominate students and students nominate staff members who make a difference in their lives.
Pictured (from left): Semih Goodman (7th Grade), Ms. Shankle, Theo Williamson (8th Grade), and McKenna Foster (6th Grade).
High School Musical ‘Xanadu’ Opens Tonight!
Tickets are available online and at the door for this week’s high school production of Xanadu. The high school musical will be performed tonight, tomorrow, and Saturday in the Schottenstein Theatre.
Tonight’s opening performance is at 7 p.m. Three performances will follow on Friday, April 12, at 7:30 p.m. and on Saturday, April 12, at 2 p.m. and 7:30 p.m.
High School Improv Note
The date of the High School Improv Show has been moved to Friday, April 26, at 7:30 p.m. in the Cassingham Theatre. The original date was April 19.
Students’ Talent, Work on Display in 2024 Senior Art Show
The 2024 Senior Art Show is on display now in the high school arts wing, with many art pieces on display from more than two dozen seniors. The show ends tomorrow, April 12, and you can see the work in person through the end of the day. If you miss seeing the display in person, go to the Bexley High School website home page for a slide show of the beautiful works of Bexley students.
> 2024 Senior Art Show Online
FACILITIES PLANNING
Architects Share Examples of Modern Learning Environments During This Week’s Community Engagement Meetings
Our architectural design partners from Perkins&Will presented a report to the Bexley Board of Education yesterday summarizing Phase 1, the assessments phase, of the District Facilities Planning and also led two Community Engagement meetings this week, previewing the next Options Phase.
Steve Turckes, a principal architect with Perkins&Will, encouraged the audience of Bexley school families and residents to adjust their mindsets to start thinking of the future when considering the important task of Facilities Planning.
As an example, he said, “In the year 2060, a child whose parents are not yet born will attend Bexley City Schools. This child will likely not know you, us, or others who created this District Facilities Plan and the vision for their educational experience. If you gauge the historic nature of the schools you have today, it’s very likely that whatever the solution, the outcomes here will still be in place whenever this child walks through the doors of those schools.”
Following Mr. Turckes’ presentation on how schools have changed since many Bexley schools were built decades ago, Perkins&Will principal architect Aimee Eckmann began a photo tour of modern learning environments being used in schools throughout the country and abroad.
Flexible and adaptive space was a central theme to the learning environments she presented. She also suggested that school spaces should “work hard” – with the ability to be amended easily for a class need, a performance, or a community meeting or event.
Families are encouraged to watch the video of the Community Engagement Session’s Learning Environments Summit to see the variety of learning environment photos that were presented. The meeting video is below and is on the district’s YouTube channel.
What’s Next?
Phase 2, the Options Phase of the District Facilities Planning process is now underway. Each school’s Building Team will begin considering this month how to address the needs of the building, as well as the best future option for their respective facility. Bexley Schools will present an update to the community about the Options Phase during Community Engagement Sessions in May.
There will be two identical meetings:
May 21, 2024 (Tues.) - 7-8:30 p.m. - Bexley Public Library Auditorium, Lower Level
May 22, 2024 (Wed.) - 9-10:30 a.m. - Bexley Public Library Auditorium, Lower Level.We hope to see you there!
Did You Miss This Week’s Facilities Planning Meetings?
Video of the Learning Environments Summit Is Available Now
Middle School Assembly Recognizes 21 Students
Bexley Middle School held its third-quarter recognition assembly this week when students, faculty, and staff gathered in the Schottenstein Theatre to celebrate students who embody the district’s seven values of Empathy, Equity, Integrity, Inclusion, Respect, Responsibility, and Well-being.
Faculty and staff members from each grade selected the 21 students who were recognized. Seven from each grade were honored during the event, each for modeling a particular value.
Congratulations to the following students:
- 6th Grade - Sylvia Conway, Esme Croffoot-Suede, Adleigh Deegan, George Marzich, Hamilton Price, Fresh Rutherford, and Samantha White
- 7th Grade - Dara Ferdelman, Raylin Kelly, Hazel Lee, George Reehil, Beeri Speckman, Bree Talabere, and Noah Yoder
- 8th Grade - Joe Baylis, Claire Boakye, Nora Bumgarner, Gabriel Cabeza, Lucy Dunstan, Niles Jackson, and Leo Kalush.
Pictured (from left) – Front Row: Samantha White (6th); Sylvia Conway (6th); George Reehil (7th); George Marzich (6th); Hamilton Price (6th); and Adrian “Fresh” Rutherford (6th). Back Row: Lucy Dunstan (8th); Joe Baylis (8th); Beeri Speckman (7th); Noah Yoder (7th); Niles Jackson (8th); Nora Bumgarner (8th); Leo Kalush (8th); Claire Boakye (8th); Gabriel Cabeza (8th); Bree Talabere (7th); Dara Ferdelman (7th); Hazel Lee (7th); and Esme Croffoot-Suede (6th). Not Pictured: Adleigh Deegan (6th) and Raylin Kelly (7th).
BE A CHAMPION
Third-Grade Teacher Recognized as ‘Champion’
Pictured (from left): Josh Price, Maryland phys ed teacher; Bree Ruoff, Nationwide Children’s Hospital school-based clinician; Ms. Strahan; and Maryland Principal Rachel Niswander.
Maryland 3rd-grade teacher Anna Strahan is the newest staff member to be celebrated as a “champion.”
Ms. Strahan was nominated by a colleague and cited for embodying all of the district’s values and living the schools’ mission of Learning with Curiosity, Demonstrating Kindness, and Embracing Equity.
Ms. Strahan’s nomination cited her many efforts to provide exceptional care for students who may need extra encouragement and support. Her nominator wrote that she sees students’ confidence grow because of the love and care of Ms. Strahan. Way to BE Ms. Strahan!
Notes
State Testing for Sophomores Rescheduled for Tuesday
Tenth-grade students will now take the State of Ohio English/Language Arts test next Tuesday, April 16. The state testing was originally scheduled for yesterday but did not occur due to the Ohio Department of Education’s testing system not working. High school students in grades 9, 11, and 12 will not be in person at school that day but will have remote-work assignments from their teachers.
BRAVO! Auction Ends Sunday
Did you have your eye on something in the BRAVO! auction and didn't grab it in time? Good news! You have a second chance to bid on items ranging from fun summer activities for kids and families to sports experiences. The second-chance BRAVO! auction is online at
auctria.events/bravo. The auction ends Sunday, April 14, at 10 p.m.
‘Friend of Education’ Award Nominations Due Tomorrow
The nomination deadline for the Bexley Board of Education’s Friend of Education Award is tomorrow, April 12. Please send your completed
nomination form by email to Karla Croswell at
[email protected]. All nominations will be forwarded to members of the Board for their review and selection.
The Board of Education has a proud tradition of presenting one or more community members with its Friend of Education Award, which is given annually to a person who has made a profound impact on Bexley Schools.
Considering Hosting an Exchange Student? You Must Notify the Schools by May 1
Bexley High School has a long tradition of welcoming exchange students from all over the world. These partnerships are meaningful and allow students and staff to learn about other countries and cultures, and they also allow us to share the Bexley community with others from around the world.
There are two key deadlines for families wishing to host exchange students: May 3 – deadline to share interest to be a host family; and July 1 – deadline to enroll exchange students in Bexley Schools.
Additional information about hosting an exchange student during the 2024-2025 school year is available
online.
Bexley Green Events Happening Soon
Earth and Arbor Days Celebration – April 20
Treeadore and the Green Bexley team invite you to the Earth and Arbor Days Celebration for family-friendly fun! Green Bexley and Bexley’s Tree & Public Gardens Commission are excited to join forces on April 20 for the Earth and Arbor Days Celebration, sponsored by the Bexley Community Foundation. The event is from 10 a.m. - 1p.m. at Schneider Park.
Learn more about taking care of our planet and arboretum during this fun family event that will include hands-on kids’ activities. Find more information at
bexley.org/earthandarbor.
Green Bexley Cleanup – April 27
Plan now to drive through the Green Bexley Cleanup Day event on Delmar Drive to discard select unwanted or unusable items. A list of accepted items is online at
bexley.org/earthandarbor.
This event allows residents to rehome some household items instead of putting them in the landfill. This is an annual opportunity to properly dispose of select items you no longer need or want that are still in good working order. Drivers are asked stay in your car at all times; volunteers will remove items from your vehicle.
PTO Corner
Cassingham PTO
April 15, Skate Party – The Cassingham PTO will host the school year's last skate party this Monday, April 15, from 4-7 p.m. at United Skates of America, 3362 Refugee Road, Columbus. Admission is free; skate rental is $5.
April 27, Spring Social – Join the Cassingham PTO for a Spring Social event at Pretentious Barrel House at 6:30 p.m. on Saturday, April 27.
May 6-10, Book Fair – The Cassingham Book Fair will be May 6-10. More details will be available soon.
Diverse Learning PTO
April 12, Maryland Display Case – April is Autism Acceptance month and the DLPTO is excited to create Maryland’s April display case. Check it out when you’re at Maryland.
April 15, Coffee Meet Up – The DLPTO April coffee meet up is Monday, April 15, at 8:30 a.m. at the Bexley Starbucks.
May 14, Annual Cookout – Save the date for the DLPTO’s Annual Cookout on Tuesday, May 14, at 5 p.m. at the Jeffrey Mansion Pavilion.
Update – Members of the DLPTO are grateful for the support of the Maryland PTO, which provided a generous grant in March. It will be an annual gift.
Maryland PTO
April 16, PTO Meeting – The next meeting of the Maryland PTO is Tuesday, April 16, at 7 p.m. in the school library.
April 18, Mental Health Fair – The Maryland PTO will host a Mental Health Fair on Thursday, April 18, from 4-6 p.m. in the Maryland gymnasium and playground. The event will include a Grown-Up Zone providing connections to local resources and information. Professionals will highlight important topics relevant to children’s mental health at each station. Kids can visit the Kids’ Zone to participate in interactive stations with learning tools to benefit their mental health, all while collecting stamps for their mental health passport. Register for the event online.
April 24, Skate Night – The Maryland PTO will host Mallard Skate Night on Wednesday, April 24, from 5:30-7:30 p.m. at United Skates of America, 3362 Refugee Road, Columbus. Admission is free, while skate rental is $5. Laser tag is available for $4.
Middle School PTO
April 23, PTO Meeting – The next meeting of the Middle School PTO is Tuesday, April 23, at 7 p.m. in the school library.
Orders for School Supply Kits – Families of middle school students (current 6th and 7th grade and rising 5th grade) may purchase grade-level school supply kits for the 2024-2025 school year through the Bexley Middle School PTO from now until June 15. Kits are packaged by grade and include an option for students enrolled in orchestra or band. Supply kits will be delivered to the middle school and will be available during the school’s schedule pick up in August. More details will be available this summer. Order supply kits at
https://1stdayschoolsupplies.com/kits.php?sid=79838.
Montrose PTO
April 16, PTO Meeting – The Montrose PTO will meet at 7 p.m. on Tuesday, April 16, in the school library. The meeting also will be available via Zoom.