WEST ALEXANDRIA — On this November’s ballot, Twin Valley Community Local School District will seek renewal of a five-year levy granting 0.75 percent of individual and estate income to the school system, bringing $800,000 into the district’s general fund over the next five years. The levy currently in place expires at the end of 2017; the proposed renewal would take effect Jan. 1, 2018.
“The renewal would continue the impact of what the community’s been providing us for a while now,” said new Twin Valley Superintendent Robert Fischer.
Money gained through the levy would remain separate from the district’s permanent improvement fund created in March for the purpose of facility maintenance and upgrades. Funds accrued through the proposed renewal go toward the general fund, used exclusively for educational expenditures.
New scoreboard
The district’s new scoreboard has been ordered, Fischer said. Donations continue to roll in, with Twin Valley Bank recently joining the list of sponsors.
“We’re just waiting for the parts. Our expectation is it’ll be up by our first home game. Hopefully, even before that, by our jamboree on August 18.”
At a Monday, July 25, school board meeting, the board approved $11,243 in received donations for purchasing materials to retrofit the existing football scoreboard to LED and a wireless operating system. Both will be provided by Industrial Electronic Service Ltd.
The board also approved $2,030.50 in donated funds to contract Paradise Graphix to vinyl wrap the football scoreboard.
Blizzard eDays
The school district will again utilize eDays to continue student learning on inclement weather days during the 2016-17 school year. The online system replicates the learning that would have taken place during the school day, and provides students access to necessary materials as well as direct access to their teachers, preventing additional days added to the end of the school year. School districts around the county now employ eDays.
Per state guidelines, teachers must have lesson plans for the year prepared by Oct. 31. From Nov. 1-Dec. 1, administrators evaluate them before approval.
“Ideally, the learning that needs to go on during the school year takes place prior to testing,” said Fischer. “The old way of doing it was making up school days at the end of the year. But with high stakes testing going on now, it doesn’t help prepare students to get ready for the tests if we’re waiting until the end of the school year to make up the time.”
