Dear Bulldog Families,

As you know, this March is an important time for our schools and community. Over the last several months, we have been meeting with staff, families and community members to share important information about our current financial situation and the upcoming ballot issue, known as Issue 29.

I want to thank all of you that have attended a meeting or reached out to ask a question. We have planned for additional community meetings this Monday, February 10th, and Wednesday, March 4th.  These meetings take place in Room 606 at Olmsted Falls High School and start at 6:00 p.m. Please join us if you can.

Due to the many questions and interest we’ve received on Issue 29, we will be sending out information each week between now and Election Day sharing some of the most frequent questions we are getting from you. We want to ensure that our community members are educated on Issue 29 and have all questions answered before casting their ballot. 

We’d like to start it off with a question we are getting about transportation:

Q:  The district has stated that, if the levy does not pass on March 17, 2020, transportation services will be reduced to state minimums beginning with the start of the 2020-2021 school year.  What does this mean?

A:  State minimum busing laws require that a school district provide transportation services for students in grades K through 8 (those attending public and non-public schools) who reside at least 2 miles or more from the school building that the student attends.  The state does not require school districts to provide busing for high school students in grades 9 to 12.  

If Issue 29 is unsuccessful on March 17, 2020, Olmsted Falls City School District will reduce transportation services to the state minimum requirements with the start of the upcoming 2020-2021 school year this August:

• Approximately 35% of all OFCS kindergarten through 8th grade bus riders will lose service in August when state minimums are applied. (Approximately 30% of all St. Mary of the Falls kindergarten through 8th grade riders will also lose service.)
• 100% of all high school bus riders - including non-public riders - will lose services in August when state minimums are applied.
• Students outside the 2-mile state minimum limit will continue to receive bus service, but they may have a change in location for their bus stop.
• In addition to the reduction in bus route service, Olmsted Falls City School District will also suspend ALL  Alternate Transportation Requests Forms for the 2020-2021 school year.
• These reductions in transportation services are a part of $1.7 million in budget reductions that would need to be implemented for the 2020-21 school year if the March levy should fail. It will be in addition to the $3.5 million in permanent reductions already made this year in order to reduce the cost of the March levy for taxpayers.

To view additional information about the implementation of state minimum transportation services in Olmsted Falls City School District, please click HERE. 

For more frequently asked questions about Issue 29, please visit the March 2020 Levy Information section of our district website.

If you need more information, please do not hesitate to reach out by replying to this email.

In addition, I want to encourage all residents to make sure their voice is heard on March 17 by voting. Voting is an important civic opportunity within our democratic process. As people move to Olmsted Falls, and even within the borders of Olmsted Falls, remembering to register to vote or file a change of address is often forgotten.  

Registering to vote has never been easier. Just visit https://olvr.ohiosos.gov/ to register online or check your voter registration status. 

Don’t wait! You must register or update your voter registration by February 18 to vote in the March 17 election.  

Please do not hesitate to contact me with any questions.  

Dr. Jim Lloyd
Superintendent for the Olmsted Falls City School District
26937 Bagley Rd.
Olmsted Township, OH 44138
Phone: 440-427-6000
Twitter: @OFCSSuper
Web: www.ofcs.net 

The above communication was emailed directly to all Olmsted Falls City School District families on 2/7/20.