Lake, Hoover, Perry Levy's

If we can’t afford to bus kids to school or have AP classes then we most certainly shouldn’t have a football team. Cut it.
1. Cut your bussing and contract with SARTA. A student pass for every kid in the district is likely less than you're paying to buy, maintain, and operate busses.
2. Cutting AP classes is a joke; a scare tactic. It costs no more to teach an AP class than a regular class, and it requires no additional resources. Same number of students, same number of teachers, same number of classes.
3. Cutting the football team would possibly cost the district money rather than save it. If enough kids transfer out to play elsewhere, the money they take with them would likely be greater than the expense of the football team.
 
1. Cut your bussing and contract with SARTA. A student pass for every kid in the district is likely less than you're paying to buy, maintain, and operate busses.
2. Cutting AP classes is a joke; a scare tactic. It costs no more to teach an AP class than a regular class, and it requires no additional resources. Same number of students, same number of teachers, same number of classes.
3. Cutting the football team would possibly cost the district money rather than save it. If enough kids transfer out to play elsewhere, the money they take with them would likely be greater than the expense of the football team.
I realize I’m being irrational.. Really just frustrated right now.
 
I realize I’m being irrational.. Really just frustrated right now.

I feel for Lake. Kinda heartbreaking, and kinda surprised. Bad campaign??? I hope they try again.
  • Jackson (renewal levy): PASSED 62%-38%
  • Lake (additional levy): FAILED 52%-48%
  • Louisville (additional levy): PASSED 51%-49%
  • Massillon (renewal levy): PASSED 55%-45%
  • North Canton (bond issue and tax levy): PASSED 51%-49%
  • Perry (renewal levy): PASSED 57%-43%
 
Lake is in some serious trouble. Shout out to the voters of Lake township for shooting down another levy. Im very upset and will refrain from saying too much more, but we need less elderly in lake township bottom line if we want to pass this. They continue to hold Lake back from growing and evolving. If the cuts proposed actually are made, I don’t think Lake will be in the Federal league much longer.
I don't see how Lake can't make the cuts. If they don't make the cuts for next year then it is just empty threats and they will lose even more credibility with the voters and they will never pass a levy again.
 
I don't see how Lake can't make the cuts. If they don't make the cuts for next year then it is just empty threats and they will lose even more credibility with the voters and they will never pass a levy again.
Agreed. Really hoping this district doesn’t turn into neighboring districts like Springfield and Marlington.
 
I saw online that Lake is having the Spring Sports pay $950 per sport. With things being as bad as they say they are I'm surprised they didn't make winter sports pay? Especially since winter sports are more popular for the most part then Spring sports. And by popular I mean more people attend games and gets more media attention. Will be interested to see if they put another levy on again this fall. If they do Lake might want to try for 2 to 3 mills
 
I saw online that Lake is having the Spring Sports pay $950 per sport. With things being as bad as they say they are I'm surprised they didn't make winter sports pay? Especially since winter sports are more popular for the most part then Spring sports. And by popular I mean more people attend games and gets more media attention. Will be interested to see if they put another levy on again this fall. If they do Lake might want to try for 2 to 3 mills
I think it was a little too late to make the winter sports pay. I heard they plan to have a levy on the ballot in May, not sure of details.
 
it’s outrageous what has happened in Ohio with levy’s. why do so many people vote no? i’m old as dirt and live in a community that i never went to school in and didn’t move to until retired. i vote yes on every levy.

investing in todays/future youth is the best investment we can make in the future for this country. i see plenty of people on here complain about kids today for a multitude of reasons (and a lot of it is fair). the fact is you cannot control what type of home life a kid has. HOWEVER you can indirectly control the quality of experience that a kid has at school. many kids spend more time at the school (between classes and extracurriculars) than they do at home. we should be giving kids every incentive to want to stay in school and to do as many extracurricular activities as possible.

better schools = better kids = better communities
 
I saw online that Lake is having the Spring Sports pay $950 per sport. With things being as bad as they say they are I'm surprised they didn't make winter sports pay? Especially since winter sports are more popular for the most part then Spring sports. And by popular I mean more people attend games and gets more media attention. Will be interested to see if they put another levy on again this fall. If they do Lake might want to try for 2 to 3 mills
Lake will not try 2-3 mills imo. it’ll be more than that. It came close to passing at 9.9 mills and they need more than 2-3 mills.
 
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it’s outrageous what has happened in Ohio with levy’s. why do so many people vote no? i’m old as dirt and live in a community that i never went to school in and didn’t move to until retired. i vote yes on every levy.

investing in todays/future youth is the best investment we can make in the future for this country. i see plenty of people on here complain about kids today for a multitude of reasons (and a lot of it is fair). the fact is you cannot control what type of home life a kid has. HOWEVER you can indirectly control the quality of experience that a kid has at school. many kids spend more time at the school (between classes and extracurriculars) than they do at home. we should be giving kids every incentive to want to stay in school and to do as many extracurricular activities as possible.

better schools = better kids = better communities
You’re awesome. Love people like you.
 
You’re awesome. Love people like you.
i appreciate it. just gets upsetting when i see people complaining about the kids today when they are the same ones who don’t support them. my community has gone downhill a bit but we just passed a big levy and are currently building entirely new schools (that were much needed). levy included all new athletic facilities. things are looking up now.

point is, the couple hundred bucks a year is worth it 100% of the time as it increases quality of educational experience, athletic success, and overall community pride. i have no relationship to the district i live in but i won’t miss the game when the new stadium opens.
 
I kinda think public schools should have some sort of tuition these days. Their quality of education shouldn’t depend on some old folks voting down their levies year after year.
 
Surprised they are still asking for that much. After the first time it was lowered by 5 mills. If I read that article right contracts haven't been approved yet for next year. Does anyone know how much Admin make at Lake?
 
I saw on Lake's FB page, that the school board is having a special meeting Thursday to reconsider the Pay to Play for Spring Sports
 
I saw on Lake's FB page, that the school board is having a special meeting Thursday to reconsider the Pay to Play for Spring Sports
Saw that too. My guess is that they’re going to push ALL of the proposed cuts into the next school year in hopes that the levy passes in the spring.

'It's just a hard pill to swallow': Lake parents upset over $950 pay-to-play fee​

Amy L. Knapp
Massillon Independent

HARTVILLE ‒ Lake Local leaders will hold a special meeting to discuss a $950 pay-to-play sports fee that is upsetting some parents and athletes.

The meeting will be 6 p.m. Thursday at the Lake Elementary School cafetorium, 225 Lincoln St. Visitors should enter door 15.

The fee is set to be assessed to athletes in seventh through 12th grades who play spring sports, including baseball, softball, lacrosse, track and boys tennis.

Lake Local's pay-to-play proposal​

The board approved the fee in November after voters turned down a five-year 9.9-mill tax levy that would have generated $6.3 million annually. Officials warned if the levy failed the district would be facing a $3.1 million deficit and deep cuts would be coming, including teacher furloughs and program elimination. They also indicated a pay-to-play fee would be implemented.

Superintendent Kevin Tobin said the $950 fee is based on coaches' stipends. He added the fees likely will not cover 100% of the cost for the number of coaches, which he estimates is about 30.

"Because it is so high, we could have fewer people participate and then it might only cover 50 or 60% of those stipends," he said.

The cost to the district is much higher than the stipends, he said, noting the costs associated with tournament fees, game management, transportation, officials as well as costs associated with ticket takers and game workers. Some sporting events require a police presence, he added, although not as much for the spring season.

"This obviously is a result of the levy failure," Tobin said. "We promoted that it would happen."

Tobin said some things have taken place and the board is willing to look at other options for the current school year.

Lake Local parents upset with pay-to-play sports​

Parent Jamie Cole said she knew the fee would become a reality if the levy failed, but she had no idea it would take place this school year.

Cole, a single parent of a two-sport sophomore, said $950 is not reasonable, especially after parents agreed at the beginning of the school year to pay a $250 one-time fee to participate in sports for the 2023-24 seasons.

"It read like a contract," Cole said of the agreement parents signed. "Every dollar really matters and I supported the levy, but personally this feels like a punishment."

Cole started a Facebook page Save Lake Sports! in order to bring light to the situation, which is upsetting other parents.

She plans to attend Thursday's meeting in hopes of getting answers, including how the school system came to the $950 figure.

"This is going to draw a hard line and cause some division," Cole said. "There were a lot of yes votes (for the levy) but I'm not sure if they are going to continue to support (a new levy) after this."

Her daughter, Violet Seaman, played volleyball in the fall and had plans to return to the softball diamond this spring.

Now Cole is taking a wait-and-see approach, hopeful that the school board can come to some kind of agreement to help ease the burden on parents and students athletes.

Cole understands that every tax dollar is being examined.

"It's just a hard pill to swallow," she said, adding parents still have to buy other equipment not provided by the district for their child to participate in the sport. "I hate that this is becoming a case of the haves and have nots. These are going to be hard conversations."

She's heard from parents who said their kids will not be able to participate in sports this spring.

"These are not fun decisions or fun times when you are squeezing your belt," Tobin said. "We know every decision we make could have a negative impact on our children. It's very delicate, and we take that very seriously."

Reach Amy at 330-775-1135 or amy.knapp@indeonline.com.
 
Pay to play remains at the $150 set at the beginning of the school year, if the levy fails again in March they will institute the $950 charge for the 2024 school year.
 
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Pay to play remains at the $150 set at the beginning of the school year, if the levy fails again in March they will institute the $950 charge for the 2024 school year.
A month ago when they put the pay to play in at 950 they said they had "No Choice" there wasn't any money, but now they have the money???
Amazing how they found the money for the spring sports.
 
Why do schools continue to call it pay to play? This insinuates the participants will PLAY. Should call it pay to participate, then practice and other activities meet this requirement. Could see legal challenges to pay to play.
 
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