The Winton Woods City School District Board of Education has introduced three different ballot initiatives as well as the possibility of placing one of those on a ballot for a special election on August 5, 2008. These initiatives include a 7.95 mil operating levy, a 7.5 mil operating levy, or a 1% alternate base earned income tax to generate $4.4 million per year. The purpose of the levy is to approve additional funding for general operations of the school district. The final decision to proceed with any August levy will occur by May 14.

The failure of the district’s March levy led to the recommendation of nearly $1 million in budget cuts for the 2008-2009 school year.  These adjustments were voted on and approved at the April 28 Board meeting. These cuts include additional personnel cuts, administrative wage freeze, increases in student fees, and loss of high school busing.

These reductions come on the heels of an additional $1 million cut from the district’s 2006 budget, and $2 million in savings in 2007-2008 achieved through reconfiguration of the district’s elementary schools.

Should additional funding not be secured in calendar year 2008, the district will be forced to proceed with across-the-board elimination of certain extracurricular, optional programs including athletics, optional arts and music offerings; K-8 busing outside of a two-mile radius; as well as increased classroom sizes to makeup the continuing shortfall.

Winton Woods City Schools serves 3,800 students of Greenhills, Forest Park, and Springfield Township, as well as required services to additional 1,000 private and parochial students of those communities.

For additional information, please contact Winton Woods Board of Education Vice- President Jack Lee or visit www.wintonwoods.org.