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Facts, Questions & Answers (FQA's)

*Click on the ANSWER LINKS

**New Updates come out every Wednesday

Question 1: How did the Talawanda School District become fiscally distressed?

ANSWER

 Question 2: What is our history of levies, both operating and bonds, as many school districts are asking their constituents for additional funding every 5 years or so?

ANSWER

 Question 3 & 4: What about the Performance Audit completed by the Auditor of State?  And...Why are we paying $13,519.14 (CUPP 2021 Data)  per student, which is more than some districts?

ANSWERS

Question 5: What else is being done to address the fiscal crisis?

ANSWER

Question 6: Isn’t all the money Talawanda receives the same and can be used for anything?

Question 7: Doesn’t TSD receive federal funding and shouldn’t that help?

ANSWERS

Question 8:  What has Talawanda done so far?

ANSWER

Question 9:  Why is TSD building a new bus/garage facility during a fiscal crisis?

Question 10:  What is going on with the Nelson Morrow building (PDC) behind SDS?

Question 11:  What is TSD doing with the middle school building?

ANSWERS

Question 12: Why doesn’t the Board of Education make decisions outside of the Board meetings?

Question 13:  How is the Talawanda School District being transparent with the decisions being made?

Question 14: There are a lot of stories and rumors and community members may not know what to believe or where to go to find accurate information.  How can community members ensure they receive accurate information?

Question 15:  Are there any forums that I may attend?

ANSWERS

Question 16: How are school districts financed?

Question 17:  What is a property tax levy?

Question 18: What is a General Levy?

Question 19:  What is an Operational Levy?

Question 20:  Why do school districts keep coming back for more money?

Question 21: What is the cost to the Taxpayer?

Question 22: What does this operational levy pay for again and how long will it last?

Question 23: Why is Talawanda asking for a permanent operational levy and not a levy that expires in a certain amount of time?

REVISED ANSWERS 

Question 24: There is so much discussion about which way is the correct way to know how much the proposed Talawanda levy will cost each taxpayer within the Talawanda School District?  Where and how should I find the information?

Question 25: Are there multiple ways to calculate how much the levy will cost me?

 

Question 26: Is Talawanda trying to be deceptive in its information regarding how much the levy will cost?

 

Question 27: Is the information public record?

 

Question 28: What if I need help, do not use a computer, or struggle to find the amount the Talawanda levy would cost me?

ANSWERS

 

Question 29:  What has happened with TSD’s report card?

Question 30:  Why now especially during high inflation and possible recession?

ANSWERS

PRESENTATION for NOV 2022- FINANCE & LEVY INFORMATION

 



 

 

 

Questions Coming in from Community Members:

Question 1:  Who should I contact at the district if I have questions?

Please Contact:   Shaunna Tafelski, Treasurer/CFO  tafelskis@talawanda.org, Ed Theroux, Superintendent/CEO therouxe@talawanda.org , OR you may email  levyinformation@talawanda.org .

*TSD is not able to monitor social media 24 hours per day (Facebook, Twitter, TikTok,etc).  Please contact school officials via phone or email for the best response time.

Question 2: Why doesn’t a mental health agency, like St. Joseph’s Orphanage, provide the majority of our mental health services so we can reduce the number of counselors, psychologists, nurses, social workers, and other mental health workers to help reduce our overall budget?

Question 3: Does FFA or FCLA or other extra curricular clubs and activities really cost the district money?

Question 4: Talawanda provides foreign language classes at the middle school and high school so why is there a cost to foreign language club?  Aren’t the teachers paid already?

Question 5: Why are we paying for a parent mentor?

ANSWERS

Question 6: Questions/Answers & Addressing Misinformation Regarding the Bus/Maintenance Garage Project:

ANSWERS

Question 7: How are schools funded in Ohio?

Question 8: What are the types of school levies and how do those funding sources work?

 ANSWERS

Question 9: The student to teacher ratio is 19:1. Is that a district average and how is this number determined?

ANSWERS

Question 10: How much does it cost for the Talawanda School District to pay for athletic and band programs per student at THS and TMS?

Question 11: How did you calculate the costs for the athletic programs?

Question 12:  Why is this an estimated per student athlete cost?

Question 13: Doesn’t the Boosters or other businesses/families/community entities support the extra curricular activities?

ANSWERS

Question 14: Did the Administrators average salary go up 10.3% from Fiscal Year ‘20 to Fiscal Year ‘21 ?

Question 15: What are the Administrator pay raises for this school year (2022-23 SY) and next school year (2023-24 SY)?

Question 16: Are administrators paid more than other administrators in our area and state?

REVISED-ANSWER

Question 16: Did Talawanda School District refuse a free Miami Regional program that would have provided credits to students?

Question 17: What is the Miami Regional program and is it free?

Question 18: I heard all districts surrounding Talawanda have entered into agreements for this Miami Regional program?

Question 19:Has Talawanda even considered this Miami Regional program?

Question 20: Why would Talawanda not consider this Miami Regional Program?

Question 21: What other programs does Talawanda offer for college credits?

Question 22: Are these other options and programs free to Talawanda and the students?

Question 23: Does it make a difference which college program and credit is earned?

Question 24: What if my child (student) fails any of these college classes?

Question 25: Is the earning of college credits a positive for Talawanda students?

ANSWERS