Dear Fairless Community Members,
Fairless Local School District continues to make great strides and show success in a number of areas. First, let me start by saying “thank you” for passing the five year substitute levy in May, 2011. This helps to secure the district’s local funding source. Although passage of this levy does not allow the district to bring back any of the previously reduced or eliminated programs (i.e. art, p.e., home ec., French), it does help to curtail further reductions. The district has a three step financial plan which it has been operating under since 2009:
Step 1 Balance the budget. This was accomplished in 2009 by reducing expenditures by $2 million. Fairless has maintained a balanced budget since then.
Step 2 Pass a substitute levy. This was accomplished in May 2011. Thank you again.
Step 3 Pass a levy to secure additional funding.
Second, congratulations to community, staff, parents, and students who worked so hard to obtain an Excellent rating on the 2011 State of Ohio District Report Card. This will be the second year the district received this outstanding rating! Much time and effort is spent by everyone to accomplish this phenomenal goal!
Third, please come and be a part of the “50 Years of Fairless” celebration on Friday,
September 23, 2011 at 1:00 p.m. in the Fairless High School gymnasium. Memorabilia, slide shows, and a 4:30 p.m. picnic will be part of this important event. Hall of Honor inductees will walk down the 50 yd. line during the pregame of the Friday night football game. There will also be a community dance at St. Clements Hall on Saturday, September 24 sponsored by the Fairless Alumni Association, Inc. Tickets for the picnic are $10 and the dance tickets are $15. Both can be purchased from Mike Hearn at Fairless High School or by sending a check made payable to Fairless Alumni Association, Inc. to Beth Musacchia at 320 S. Wabash Avenue, Brewster, OH 44613. For more information about these upcoming events, please contact Linda Regula at 330-756-2542. Join us to visit with former classmates and community members.
As the Fairless Local School District moves forward, it must continue to provide for the needs of students in the 21stcentury and remain competitive in the educational marketplace. In order to accomplish these two tasks, the district must secure additional funding at some point in time. Please be aware that there are only so many reductions a district can make before it loses its competitive edge. The previously made reductions have helped to sustain the “carryover” (like a savings account) for a couple of years. With the state reducing the Fairless budget, the district is currently projected to run out of money in 2015. Although there are no plans to be back on the ballot in November, 2011, please understand that the district must secure additional new revenue if it is going to survive. Fairless Local School District has been living on the same local general operating funds it passed in 1996 and 1998 respectively. To go for 15 years without securing additional operating dollars is a phenomenal accomplishment. Congratulations to community, staff, and students who continue to help Fairless stretch its tax dollars.
Fairless Local Schools…Fairless Community
Together We Can Build the Future One Child at a Time!