Is The Trimble School Distirict finished

[1987chieftains]

I THINK ITS JUST A RUMOR.

[Green Beagle]

I THINK ITS JUST A RUMOR.

Guess the article wasnt in the Logan Diddley.

[noreply66]

If it is sports and anything to it, Mr. Dunn will write about it.

[Orange and Brown]

I THINK ITS JUST A RUMOR.

Every year people talk about Trimble consolidating with NY. The article was a good one and brought up some great facts, and it is true Trimble Local has a rough way to go. They will keep things going for another decade though.

[1987chieftains]

I THINK ITS JUST A RUMOR.

Every year people talk about Trimble consolidating with NY. The article was a good one and brought up some great facts, and it is true Trimble Local has a rough way to go. They will keep things going for another decade though.

yeah, it started 3 threads on here.

[NYBuckeye96]

Here is an updated article in today's Athens Messenger......

http://www.athensmessenger.com/news/local/article_1fd9ba80-4d43-11df-9a48-001cc4c002e0.html

Next step a third-party fiscal analysis

Posted: Wednesday, April 21, 2010 8:40 am

By DANALINE BRYANT Messenger staff writer

GLOUSTER — Trimble school officials are moving quickly to gather additional information that’s needed before critical decisions can be made on the next school year.

“The next formal step for us will be another person providing an analysis of of the district, ” said Interim Supt. John Costanzo said on Tuesday. “I have asked Dr. Jacalyn R. Osborne, school consultant for the Ohio Department of Education’s Finance Program Services, Region 16, to conduct a fiscal analysis of Trimble Local Schools. She should be completing that some time in early May.”

Osborne’s analysis follows one done by Tom Gumpf, coordinator of the Ohio Department of Education’s Division of Finance, Region 16. On April 13, Gumpf presented his findings at a meeting of the Trimble School Board. He said his analysis of Trimble’s five-year forecast shows that unless substantial cuts in spending are made the Trimble school district is headed for fiscal emergency status.

The district has some savings, but Gumpf said those will be needed to make up current and approaching cuts in state funding. He said that in recent years, Trimble has been spending more than it takes in and that soon the district will go into a negative balance, a situation that will trigger state intervention. The district’s five-year forecast shows that by Fiscal Year 2013, the district will have a deficit of more than $2 million, and it will reach more than $4 million by 2014 if preventive measures aren’t taken.

On March 16, Costanzo was appointed as unpaid interim superintendent after Supt. Cindy Johnston was placed on paid administrative leave. Costanzo said planning for the next academic year usually begins no later than January, but he the board and other administrators have only the last two months of the current school year.

On Tuesday, Costanzo said a new examination of district records by Osborne will provide critically needed information for the planning process. Despite having to work quickly, Costanzo said officials are looking carefully and thoroughly at district needs and revenue.

“We are going to make decisions about staffing patterns and services for the 2010-2011 school year, and it’s important for people to understand that we are not doing it in a haphazard fashion. But we have to do it quickly, and we are moving forward to get as much accurate information we can so that we will (know) the best way to serve the children and families of the district.”

Costanzo said it’s a difficult situation for employees, parents and everyone in the Trimble district.

“It was pretty apparent at the meeting, where many staff and members of the community were present, that these are difficult decisions we’re going to be making,” he said. “I believe we’re obligated to look at the information and make the decisions that will provide the best opportunities for the students. It’s not easy for anyone at this time. The administrative staff is working to consider all the options that are on the table.”

He said it’s important to remember that the information being gathered doesn’t come from him, board members or anyone in the district.

“It’s an impartial third party who is looking at it and saying ‘Here’s what we see,’” he said. “Our board is committed to help in any way it can. I am committed to help in any way. My staff has been great help. There are a lot of people working very hard to find out what needs to be done. … A lot of people are working around the clock to get the information that is needed to make the right decision.”

Costanzo will present his recommendations, based on Gumpf’s and Osborne’s reports, at the board meeting on May 18. He said it’s up to the board what action to take and when to take it, but he believes they will do that at the May meeting.

[4 HORSEMEN]

I am not from Trimble, but there is one thing I can attest to.... Trimble loves their school and their athletic teams!!!

Losing the Tomcats would be devastating to the people of Glouster and its surrounding areas.

If grit and determination can stop this from happening, their is no chance of the Trimble Tomcats going anywhere...The folks from Trimble will do everything they can to KEEP-THE-CATS!

However, when you are talking about fiscal issues and the State being involved, it might become a situation that is out of the hands of the Trimble faithful.

I really hope they get this fixed... Life just wouldn't be the same in the valley without the Tomcats.... Love 'em or hate 'em, it is always fun to watch them play!!!!

Good Luck Tomcats.... I'm pulling for you!!!!!

[Green Beagle]

Dyla may go to fed. or alex or ny he has visited all the athens county schools

[Heavy D]

Dyla may go to fed. or alex or ny he has visited all the athens county schools

I think he still has two official visits left.

[Orange and Brown]

Dyla may go to fed. or alex or ny he has visited all the athens county schools

I think he still has two official visits left.

Federal Hocking has offered to name the field after him and also give him at least 3 cheer leaders to follow him around at all times!

Rumor has it that NY is willing to change there name from the "Buckeyes" to the "Dylas".

[wrestler87]

Trimble is toast!

True, I know of 2 players with Trimble Mothers, and even Patrick Angle's Step-mom, mother of Mason Mays was a Trimble graduate. Several also have Nelsonville roots over the past 3 years.. I have moved myself as a result of being closer to my job w/o being completely displaced. There needs to be a major job of some type drawn to that area. Cheap property! Won't post further on this subject right now, just my 2 cents...
If Trimble does predominantly go to Nelsonville, the distance for some players will outweigh the participation ability of some football players---making them D-3/4 with less talent to draw from IMO. Same as Logan and the vast district they have. The bypass may make some changes after the effects are felt. Hope it works out for both.
I'm just making assumptions based on my view from a district in N.C. where the same situation was present. Nelsonville will be o.k., but will suffer losses for a bit in the PLAYOFFS (will excel in League play with better #'s!)
Good luck to both. There is a lot of tradition and a good rivalry.

[L.R. Faires]

We aren't going anywhere. As I have stated in several post, on various threads,are Pride is to strong to allow are district to fail. The Trimble Alumni are resourceful folks, Look at the Trimble Textbook Foundation, the Trimble Alumni Football Assoc. etc. We pride ourselves in our academic achievments. There are far to many examples to list here. As for Athletic prowess, How many times have you all lost to the Cats? TOMCAT PRIDE!

[NYBuckeye96]

http://www.athensmessenger.com/news/local/article_9872ea1a-60e0-11df-99c6-001cc4c002e0.html

17 Trimble schools jobs on chopping block

Posted: Sunday, May 16, 2010 7:55 am
By DANALINE BRYANT Messenger staff writer

GLOUSTER — Faced with increasing budget concerns, the Trimble Local School Board will consider a proposal at its Tuesday meeting to eliminate 14 certified positions and three classroom aide positions as well as reduce one bus route.

The board’s meeting agenda, released on Friday, includes a recommendation from the interim superintendent to eliminate one principal’s position, 13 teachers and three aides. It also calls for a reduction in the afternoon pre-school bus route and a “reduction in two contracts.”
The agenda did not list the names of staff members whose positions may be eliminated. The school district has three principals — one each at the elementary, middle and high schools.

Under the heading “Reduction In Force,” the agenda says the proposed cuts would take effect at the end of the 2009-10 contract year.

“Additional positions may be added or deleted from this list according to provisions of the master contract between the Trimble Local Board of Education and the TLTA and AFSCME (teach-er’s union and non-classified union),” it reads.

The proposed cuts follow a report from an Ohio Department of Education official outlining Trimble Local Schools’ financial situation. On April 15, Tom Gumpf, Region 16 coordinator for the Ohio Department of Education’s Division of Finance, spoke at a well-attended school board meeting and said the district was headed for fiscal emergency status if it did not make substantial cuts in spending.

Trimble Interim Supt. John Costanzo, who could not be reached for comment, asked Gumpf to speak at the meeting, calling him only days after Constanzo’s March 16 appointment as the district’s unpaid interim superintendent. Costanzo was appointed after Supt. Cindy Johnston was placed on paid administrative leave by the board.

Costanzo asked Gumpf to make an immediate analysis of the district’s finances and to report it to the board in open session so that everyone would know “where we’ve been and where we’re headed.”

Gumpf analyzed the district based on the number of students, the staffing levels and the amount of money the district had to make payroll. Payroll is a school district’s major expense, often consuming as much as 80 percent of the budget.

Gumpf used Trimble’s five-year forecast for his analysis and found that, while the school district has surplus funds, as required by law, those funds won’t last long. The five-year plan shows that at the end of the fiscal year the district will have $24,500 left over from this year’s budget of more than $8 million.

When this year’s leftover money is added to money already banked as surplus funds, Trimble will have about $400,000 in savings, he said. A new fiscal year begins July 1, and Gumpf said most of those funds will be needed for next year’s budget, dropping the district’s savings to about $100,000.

With state and federal funding decreasing, Trimble will be in trouble because it soon will have no back-up funds, Gumpf said. He said by fiscal year 2012, Trimble could have a possible deficit of $800,000, which would force the state to intervene. Without preventive measures, Trimble could face a more than $2 million deficit in fiscal year 2013 and a more than $4 million deficit the following year.

Gumpf’s analysis also found that Trimble has too many teachers on its payroll based on its student enrollment. State law dictates that there should be no more than a 25:1 ratio of students to teachers. When all state requirements were taken into account, Gumpf found that Trimble should have 26 teachers for its 658 students. Trimble employs 36 teachers and has a ratio of 18 students per teacher.

After Gumpf’s report, Costanzo asked Jacalyn Osborne, a school consultant for the Ohio Department of Education’s Finance Program Services, to conduct her own fiscal analysis of the district. She was expected to complete that analysis this past week, and Costanzo said that information would help district administrators make the difficult decisions on staff cutbacks.

Costanzo, in a previous interview with The Messenger, said it’s a difficult situation for employees, parents and everyone in the school district.
“These are difficult decisions we’re going to be making,” he said. “I believe we’re obligated to look at the information and make the decisions that will provide the best opportunities for the students. It’s not easy for anyone at this time. The administrative staff is working to consider all the options that are on the table. … A lot of people are working around the clock to get the information that is needed to make the right decision.”

Costanzo said previously he would make recommendations to the school board based on Gumpf’s and Osborne’s reports, and it then would be up to the board to decide what action to take and when to take it. Constanzo said he thought the school board would do that at its May meeting.

The school board will meet at 7 p.m. Tuesday in the high school library.

[mister b]

I can feel for the folks at Trimble, students, parents, staff and board members. These type of cuts are painful at best. The education process will suffer. I say this from experience in having to go through these same type of cuts. One can say that the district has more teachers than the state minimum and the student to teacher ration is 18:1 while the state says it can be as high as 25:1 and this is where the cuts should be made.

When you cut staff, you are taking away educational chances for kids. Less teachers, especially at the high school level, means less choices of courses - electives. Only the basic classes can be taught. Add in the fact that the state of Ohio is mandating that every student must pass Algebra 1 and Chemistry 1 to get a high school diploma, this will tax an over burdened system that has only the bare minimum of staff to do the job. This unfunded mandate by the state forces kids who are not ready to take and pass such classes as Algebra or Chemistry 1. This will require additional staff to do remedial work with those students who are failing and the state will not provide the money necessary to do this; it will be the taxpayers responsibility to fund these unfunded mandates. This could also mean not having an AP classes for those students that need these type of classes. Everyone losses.

The Trimble district lacks a solid tax base of businees or industry to help fund itself. I can only hope that the folks at Trimble, both inside the district as employees and those outside the district as taxpayers, even if you don't have kids in school, will handle themselves accordingly as the eyes of the kids in the district will be on the adults and how they handle themselves as they address these problems.

The local school and the houses of worship are the center point of pride for any small town. The smaller the town, the more that the pride shows through to us who are outside looking in.

Wishing the folks at Trimble all the best and hope that things work out so that you can give the kids at Trimble the education they deserve.

Kids in southeastern Ohio deserve the same quality of education that kids in Dublin, Ohio or Upper Arlington get.

[NYBuckeye96]

http://www.athensmessenger.com/news/local/article_72df440a-6410-11df-af2a-001cc4c03286.html

Seventeen employees to see jobs disappear
14 teachers, 2 aides, 1 principal to be out of work

Posted: Thursday, May 20, 2010 9:04 am
By DANALINE BRYANT Messenger staff writer

GLOUSTER — Trimble Local School Board has taken the first step to eliminate 17 jobs for the 2010-2011 school year.

More than 50 people, mostly school employees, stayed past midnight Tuesday to hear what the board would do about proposed cutbacks and to voice their opinions on the fiscal crisis confronting the district.

Board members met in executive session from 7:40-10:29 p.m. In open session, they unanimously approved a recommendation by Interim Supt. John Costanzo for a “reduction in force.” The action doesn’t eliminate jobs yet; it notifies two Trimble employee unions of the planned action. According to contractual obligations, the board must give 60 days’ notice to the district’s teachers and support staff unions.

The action was no surprise to members of the Trimble Local Schools community. The board’s agenda, released last Thursday, included a proposal to eliminate 14 certified positions, including 13 teachers and one principal, and the elimination of three teaching aides, as well as a cutback in an afternoon bus route (due to the planned elimination of a preschool class).

The agenda included a proposal for a “reduction in two contracts,” but that was eliminated before the vote because such a move cannot be taken legally while a contract is in effect.

No one knows which positions will be cut, but officials will notify affected employees soon. Contracts say employees must be given 30-day notices if their jobs are to be eliminated.

“We’re trying to do it quicker — to inform anyone who may be losing a position that the action may occur,” he said. “We are trying to respect the people we employ. With the situation as it is — with so many districts facing cutbacks in personnel — it makes it even more difficult for people to get employment. So we’re trying to do some things to help them.”

The number of jobs lost may change. The approved motion says that additional positions may be added or deleted.

Officials said they want to minimize classroom cuts; however, they admit it’s difficult to cut expenditures without cutting personnel because 82 percent of the district’s funds go to payroll and benefits.

Several teachers and a classroom aid asked why so many teachers are being cut and why cuts can’t be made in other areas.

“My preference would be not to cut anyone providing direct services to children,” said board member Steve Miller in response. “This is not final. We need to look more comprehensively at how to minimize the impact. We are trying to be fiscally responsible. We can’t thumb our nose at the state … . We have to be fiscally responsible. (We) … have to keep the district on a sound financial position. … John has put together a pretty good plan … that gives hope for the future.”

“Do we just sit back and do nothing and let the state come in and take over?” board member Randy Hooper asked the audience at one point.

Board member Erica North said she stays awake at night trying to come up with ideas, adding that many possible solutions end up unworkable because of state mandates, contracts and other restrictions.

Costanzo agreed that officials are looking at all options to solve the impending multi-million-dollar deficit, including restructuring the district to eliminate the middle school as a separate school.

“We first thought of having pre-K through sixth grade in one building and then seventh through 12th grade in one building, but there is not enough room at the high school to serve all those seventh- and eighth-grade students,” Costanzo said in a phone interview Wednesday. Leaving the district structured as it is would be the least disruptive, he said.

Costanzo said officials are trying to strike a balance between the need to cut back school expenditures and their commitment to provide a quality educational program for students. The situation is made more difficult, he said, because it’s “very late” in a school year to be doing this kind of planning.

“Usually, we would start looking at this information in November and December, but we’ve had to compress to weeks what should have been done in months,” he said. “Everyone is concerned, and we’re trying to do the best we can in a difficult situation. It’s like pouring concrete in freezing weather; there’s a lot of opportunity for cracks to form — but we’re trying to minimize potential problems.”

The elimination of a principal’s position wasn’t addressed Tuesday, though Costanzo emerged from the executive session after about two hours and asked the district’s three principals — Elementary Principal Mary Mitchell, Middle School Principal Kim Jones and High School Principal Matt Curtis — to join the closed session.
In open session, Treasurer Cindy Rhonemus reported on district finances and handed out copies of her just-completed revision of the district’s five-year forecast.

It is this document, which will be filed with the Ohio Department of Education today, that makes cutting expenses a necessity. Rhonemus explained that her projections show that the district will be almost $50,000 in debt by fiscal year 2011, which will begin in little over a year, and will be almost $900,000 in debt in FY 2012; more than $2 million in debt in FY 2013; and almost $4 million in debt by FY 2014.

“You can see the risk you are in,” she said, adding that the state will not allow this situation to stand.
She said when state officials see the looming deficit, a series of deadlines will begin, and failure to meet the deadlines will bring unavoidable consequences. First, state education officials will send a letter notifying district it has approximately 60 days to develop a plan to eliminate the pending deficit. If the district doesn’t do that, it will be placed in “fiscal caution” and given another 60 days. If that deadline passes without a plan, Trimble will be placed in “fiscal watch” and given another 60 days. If that deadline arrives without a plan, Trimble will be placed in “fiscal emergency,” and thereby loses its ability to self-govern. A state commission will impose severe financial cutbacks in dollar amounts, and the board will have to find ways to achieve that amount of cuts.

For now, the district is working hard to avoid state takeover, Costanzo said, adding that these decisions can no longer be delayed. He said decisions that might have been made more easily months or even years ago now must be made quickly.

“You can never take your eye off the ball. You should be making minor adjustments all along so that you have minimal impact on employees and your educational program,” he said. “My role is not to make judgments about what happened in the past, but to help provide leadership, along with the administrative team, the board, classified employees and members of the community.”

Costanzo said it’s likely officials will be making assessments and considering choices right up until the start of the new school year.

“We have been committed to working with the associations so that the people (who) are going to lose jobs are the ones who should lose them, per the agreements,” Costanzo said. “With 13 certified positions being eliminated that means there’s going to be a lot of movement around the district. We have to be sure the people who are moving from one position to another are licensed and can teach in that area.”

So that means “the last hired, the first fired” doesn’t apply. For instance, he said, the district has only one teacher who is certified to teach Spanish. Since there aren’t any others licensed to serve in that position, that employee can’t be “bumped” out of his or her job by an individual who has worked longer for the district. That job can be filled only by someone accredited to teach Spanish.

On Tuesday, a Trimble junior asked the board if it could assure her that she would be able to take advanced placement/honors classes as she planned, and Costanzo said officials are working 16 to 17 hours a day to ensure that Trimble students won’t be short-changed.

“The board, the staff and I were given a directive last night from Rob Miller, board president,” Costanzo said. “He directed the superintendent and the administrative team to minimize the impact on education, to keep the impact on the teaching staff at a minimum. To me, that was an order to do the right thing for the kids and the families, and that’s the first thing we do here. We will look at these numbers again and again and will decide to do what’s best in the long range for the kids and their families. Our board members feel strongly about protecting the integrity of the educational program, and we intend to do that.”

[L.R. Faires]

Once again, we will survive this and be stronger because of it. I surely hope there aren't folks out there that would like to see the district fail. I believe in our board, our teachers, our admisitrators, and most importantly I believe in the people of Trimble Township. This is a time when we come together and fight for our children. This school district and community is strong, and we will survive this financial mess. I am not so in the dark that I don't see how hard this is going to be.
We all will be needed to keep our school. Plus, we are going to need help. I know for a fact that we can count on our friends over the hill (Nelsonville York) and hopefully those districts in the rest of the county. We would be there for you, thats fact! I posted somewhere that every year before we play the Buckeyes I talk to Coach Boston and tell him we are going to kick the snot out of them, and coach always says he wouldn't have it any other way. Wouldn't it be sad if I could't make that phone call because the State of Ohio didn't see fit to help our district. Once again we will surive. TOMCAT PRIDE!

[MTSWNGRVSG]

Good Luck Trimble!

[Dundas]

Im all for Trimble getting through this...but without proper funding, the students are the ones hurt.

[mister b]

All the best to the citizens, staff and students of Trimble Local Schools.

I have a feeling that more districts will be suffering through the same cuts when the new state budget is announced and funding for education is cut. Our state leaders need to step up to the plate and follow the decision of the courts and find new funding for our schools and also see to it that the students of southeastern Ohio are given the same educational opportunities as the students in and around the larger cities of Ohio.

[55buckeyes98]

Even tho I am a Buckeye through and through I say let's consolidate and get it over with! I say more schools should let the state come in and take over and let them take the heat when kids fail/struggle. Johnstown and Northridge (Johnstown) are in a similar situation of possibly consolidating in the near future.