Q. I’m surprised to learn the school district is in financial need. What happened?
A. In May 2023, an incorrect five-year forecast was submitted by the district’s former treasurer who had served two years in that role. When our current Treasurer took over, it became clear that the submitted forecast had significantly underestimated expenses, leading to an inaccurate picture of the district's financial health. As soon as this situation came to light, the board of education and the administration initiated actions to ensure the long-term educational success and fiscal health of our district.
Q. What is the current financial situation of our school district?
A. The Black River School District will have a positive balance through July 2024. If, however, expenses are not reduced, or additional revenue is not secured, the district will go into deficit spending during the 2024-2025 school year. If the district cannot maintain a positive balance for a three-year period, the district will begin a process where the State of Ohio begins to intervene, which will jeopardize the local control of our schools.
Q. What has been done already to cut costs and address the financial situation?
A. The District:
Put a hiring freeze into effect in July 2023, which did not permit the hiring of new positions.
Is continually looking into all contracts and opportunities to find savings.
Through natural attrition of retiring staff members, the district has not hired staff members in their place. Their duties have been absorbed by other staff members.
Q. Didn’t the residents of the Black River Local School District just pass a levy?
A. Yes, the residents of Black River passed the renewal of the Permanent Improvement Levy on Nov. 7, 2023. It is important to understand that the revenue from this five-year levy MUST BE USED for CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PROJECTS and the maintenance and repairs of school property and equipment. A Permanent Improvement Levy CANNOT BE USED for OPERATIONAL EXPENSES such as salaries and benefits. It is important to note that the Nov. 7, 2023 Permanent Improvement Levy renewal was not a new tax and did not increase tax rates in the Black River School District. Also in Nov. 2022, a renewal levy was passed for operations which was NOT A NEW TAX.
Q. When was the last time a levy was passed for new operating money?
A. 2013
Q. What are the potential impacts of the current financial circumstances on our schools?
A. The impacts could include reductions in staff, programs and services. We will need to make some very difficult decisions. While our primary goal is to navigate these challenges with minimal impact upon students, the cuts will still impact our ability to serve the students of the district.
Q. How would the school district increase revenue for the district?
A. At this time, there are no plans to seek additional funding for our district's operations by placing an operations levy on the ballot. An operations levy for new money could however provide funding for programs, services and the staff needed to support those programs and services.
Q. How will the district ensure transparency and keep the community informed moving forward?
A. To ensure financial transparency, we will continue to provide regular updates in newsletters, on our district website and social media platforms. We are also open to any questions residents may have. You may call or email us. For further inquiries or to reach out to our district leadership team, please feel free to contact Superintendent Chris Clark by email at cclark@blrv.org or by phone at (419) 736-3300 ext. 101. For financial matters or questions, Treasurer Robert Kuehnle can be reached at rkuehnle@blrv.org or by calling 419-736-3300.
Q. Why is the school district conducting surveys and parent/community focus groups?
A. The school district is faced with tough choices. As such, the school district wants to get the community’s input regarding the programs and services offered by Black River. The community’s thoughts and suggestions are critical for school leadership to understand before these decisions are made. The surveys and focus groups will allow residents multiple opportunities to provide their feedback.
Q. When are the parent/community focus groups and how can I participate?
1. Virtual Focus Group ONE: Monday, February 26, 2024, from 1:00-2:00 PM.
2. Virtual Focus Group TWO: Monday, February 26, 2024, from 6:30-7:30 PM.
3. In-person Focus Group THREE: Tuesday, February 27, 2024, from 6:30-7:30 PM, held at the Black River Elementary School Auditorium.
NO RSVP or NOTIFICATION REQUIRED. All are welcome.
Q. How can I participate in the online survey?
A. You may participate in the online survey by clicking here.
Q. What preventative measures are in place to ensure a financial miscalculation of this type does not occur again?
A. As we are dedicated to fiscal accountability, responsibility and transparency:
We are implementing improved oversight and review processes for financial forecasting to ensure accuracy and avoid future errors.
We are updating the system of accounting.
We are committed to providing regular updates to the community via our newsletter, website and social media.
We are creating a Community Finance Committee that will hear periodic reports from the school treasurer regarding the state of the district's finances. The committee will consist of community volunteers who would be interested in learning more about the school’s finances. If any resident is interested in serving on this committee, you may contact Treasurer Robert Kuehnle who can be reached at rkuehnle@blrv.org or by calling 419-736-3300.
Q. Why does the Elementary School have an Assistant Principal? Is that needed?
A. Yes. The elementary school has 482 students and the staff needed to support that number of students. To provide the level of programs and services desired for our elementary school students and their parents, an Assistant Principal is necessary.
Q. Why does the School District require an Assistant Superintendent?
A. Organizationally, a Superintendent or Assistant Superintendent must be present to make a variety of decisions. While the current superintendent is nearly always available, there are occasions when a back-up is required. As such, the current Curriculum Director, who had the proper licensure and credentials, was provided with the extra title of “Assistant Superintendent.” An additional individual was not hired. The same individual now wears two hats to assist in the operations of the district.
Q. I’m frustrated and upset that this happened. What can I do about it?
A. We are also frustrated and upset that an incorrect five-year forecast was submitted by the district’s former treasurer. This has placed us all in a difficult situation. We are putting actions in place to correct the issue and get the district back on firm financial ground. You can get involved by providing your thoughts and ideas by filling out a survey, attending a focus group or potentially serving on the Community Financial Committee. We welcome your thoughts, input and involvement.
Q. Who can I contact for more information?
A. For further inquiries or to reach out to our district leadership team, please feel free to contact Superintendent Chris Clark by email at cclark@blrv.org or by phone at (419) 736-3300 ext. 101. For financial matters or questions, Treasurer Robert Kuehnle can be reached at rkuehnle@blrv.org or by calling 419-736-3300.