The Southsider Voice
Visit us at these places!
  • Home
  • News
    • Top Stories
    • Sports
    • Car Nutz
    • Stilley Goes Trackside
    • Southside Deaths
    • Personal Recollections
    • Reminiscing
  • About the Voice
  • Advertising
  • Contact
  • Newspaper Archive
  • Classifieds

Perry Schools seek tax increase

12/17/2014

0 Comments

 

Funding would cover facility improvements, operating expenses 

By Al Stilley
Southsider Voice correspondent

In 2011, voters in the Perry Township school district approved a referendum that added 55 certified teaching positions, 22 more classrooms and replaced boilers in eight schools.
The bond issues, OK’d by 60 percent of the electorate, included $50 million for facilities improvements and $10 million for operations. 

The vote protected and expanded courses in elementary art, music and physical education programs, replaced roofs and renovated the swimming pools at Southport and Perry Meridian high schools. Secured entrances were installed at all schools, and the roof was replaced at Mary Bryan Elementary
Superintendent Thomas Little pointed to the successful referendum as a catalyst to the Perry Township Schools’ “A” accountability letter grade rating by the Indiana Department of Education.

The district is still faced with economic challenges due to projected enrollment growth, increased enrollment, state budgetary restrictions and the necessity of eliminating 26 elementary classroom trailers. Enrollment is expected to jump from 14,693 students to 16,930 in 2019.

Looking at the district’s various needs, the school board recently moved ahead for a May 5 referendum on primary Election Day for $50 million in facility improvements and $3 million in operating expenses for the transportation of students, maintaining facilities in good repair and maintaining educational programs and staff intact until 2022.

The $50 million, above and beyond financing through the school district’s state-approved property tax rate, would:
• Build 60 classrooms at kindergarten centers at MacArthur, Homecroft, Jeremiah Gray and Rosa Parks elementary schools.
• Add 29 elementary classrooms, eliminating temporary classroom trailers and expand rest rooms and kitchen areas at MacArthur (one classroom), Glenns Valley (two), Burkhart (eight), Homecroft (two), Mary Bryan (two), Rosa Parks (four), Southport (four) and Winchester Village (six).
• Renovate Winchester Village Elementary from its open classrooms to more walled classrooms for a secure classroom environment.
• Replace boilers in four schools, chillers in six and roofs at five; repave five parking lots and replace carpet in seven buildings.
• Provide for two permanent classrooms for band and orchestra at Southport Middle School.

In his presentation to the school board, Dr. Little cautioned that to do nothing would result in installing 46 additional classroom trailers, displacing 27 art and music rooms in kindergarten through fifth-grade classrooms, dismantling 11 media centers and blocking off five elementary gymnasium sections. 
Based on the median home value ($122,700) in Perry Township, the bond issue for facility improvements would add $5.33 per month in property tax payments and the $3 million additional operating bond issue would add $4.48 per month for a projected total of $9.81 per month.

0 Comments



Leave a Reply.

    Archives

    March 2023
    February 2023
    January 2023
    December 2022
    November 2022
    October 2022
    September 2022
    August 2022
    July 2022
    June 2022
    May 2022
    February 2022
    January 2022
    December 2021
    November 2021
    October 2021
    July 2021
    May 2021
    April 2021
    March 2021
    February 2021
    April 2020
    March 2020
    February 2020
    January 2020
    December 2019
    November 2019
    October 2019
    September 2019
    August 2019
    July 2019
    June 2019
    May 2019
    April 2019
    March 2019
    February 2019
    January 2019
    December 2018
    November 2018
    October 2018
    September 2018
    August 2018
    July 2018
    June 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018
    February 2018
    January 2018
    December 2017
    November 2017
    October 2017
    September 2017
    August 2017
    July 2017
    June 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017
    December 2016
    November 2016
    October 2016
    September 2016
    August 2016
    July 2016
    June 2016
    May 2016
    April 2016
    March 2016
    February 2016
    January 2016
    December 2015
    November 2015
    October 2015
    September 2015
    August 2015
    July 2015
    June 2015
    May 2015
    April 2015
    March 2015
    February 2015
    January 2015
    December 2014
    November 2014
    October 2014
    September 2014
    August 2014
    July 2014
    June 2014
    May 2014
    April 2014
    March 2014

    Categories

    All
    Arts & Entertainment
    Lead Story
    Sports: 500
    Sports: Basketball
    Sports: Track

    RSS Feed

 DROP OFF: The Toy Drop 6025 Madison Ave., Suite D
Indianapolis, IN  46227  |  317-781-0023
MAILING ADDRESS: P.O. Box 17187, Indianapolis, IN 46217

ads@southsidervoice.com | news@southsidervoice.com
Website by IndyTeleData, Inc.