Julie Feasel Education Advocate

This year, our county is undergoing a property reappraisal, which county auditors have to conduct every three years. In preparation for the release of the new property values, County Auditor George Kaitsa has written an informative Fact vs Fiction explaining how property reappraisals impact property taxes. In September, property owners will be receiving their new property value information from Mr. Kaitsa. To learn more about how this process may impact your property taxes, read the Fact vs Fiction at this link:
https://auditor.co.delaware.oh.us/wp-content/uploads/sites/23/2023/07/Reappraisal-2.1.pdf?fbclid=IwAR02cEYf01sRZmxrIZ-gjD2viWlAxJA8QgjdI2RCf_bf6oN4dJ45x1q-0O0_aem_Abp--yOW4acv-pQ36QkxOSFZj-8yEq4g_JyS9CbZvXtvMy3OtUJ4Zy2I4elTcDxzuJM&mibextid=Zxz2cZ

If you are looking for a volunteer opportunity in the Olentangy School District consider Neighborhood Bridges. You don’t have to have students in the district just the willingness to help students in the district. Read more in the post below!

Interested in volunteering? neighborhood bridges is always looking for people interested in helping spread .

We have opportunities
Area Directors
Steering Committee Members
Social Squad
General volunteering

If you are interested or know someone that may be please share this post or sign up at bit.ly/nbridgesvolunteer

After 8 years at the helm, Mr. Raiff spoke at his last Olentangy graduations today. This district has seen great growth and academic progress during his tenure. He continued on the tradition of past superintendents of leaving the district even better than when he started.

Raiff’s ‘special path’ nearly complete - Delaware Gazette Whether it’s been challenges associated with an ever-growing, yet underfunded district or navigating an unprecedented academic landscape through the COVID-19 pandemic, for the past eight years Mark Raiff has been at the head of the Olentangy Local School District (OLSD)’s push to remain one of t...

Follow Neighborhood bridges Olentangy Schools to learn how you can help students and families in our district.

So excited and grateful! Three of our communities in Delaware County (OH), Westerville, Olentangy and Big Walnut were recipients of a $10,000 grant from Women Giving Together.

Pictured left to right are: Karen Waters, Women Giving Together; Julie Feasel, Women Giving Together; Megan Truax, Area Director, neighborhood bridges Big Walnut; Wendy Loeser, Area Director, neighborhood bridges Westerville; Betsy Thorne, Area Director, neighborhood bridges Olentangy.

The $10,000 grant will be shared in all three neighborhood bridges communities to help stock our student success centers with personal care items in more than 30 schools in Delaware County. Thank you!

For those who don’t receive Olentangy communications - Todd Meyer will be the next superintendent. Congratulations Mr. Meyer!

Check out this article from The Columbus Dispatch:

Olentangy Schools pick current chief operations officer Todd Meyer as new superintendent

Olentangy Schools pick current chief operations officer Todd Meyer as new superintendent Olentangy Schools picked chief operations officer Todd Meyer as its new superintendent to succeed Mark Raiff, who is retiring at the end of 2022-23.

For Delaware County public high school grads and current college students - now is the time to apply to the Gooding Scholarship! Both of my daughters were recipients and you can receive it multiple years. See the post below for more info.

Attention current college students! Visit our website at www.delawarecf.org for more information or to apply!

The finalists for Olentangy’s next superintendent.

Olentangy Local Schools announces two superintendent finalists The Olentangy Local Schools announced two finalists Thursday for the superintendent position, including the current chief operating officer

At last week’s Olentangy school board meeting Treasurer and CFO Ryan Jenkins presented the May update to the 5-year financial forecast. To summarize, if the Fair School Funding Plan gets implemented as it is written in the House’s version of the budget that’s good for Olentangy. If the Senate makes major changes, that could be bad. Tell Sen. Andy Brenner to support the House’s version of public school funding as it stands in the budget.

Olentangy Schools updates five-year forecast - Delaware Gazette During the April 25 meeting of the Olentangy Schools Board of Education, Treasurer Ryan Jenkins issued the first reading of the district’s latest five-year financial forecast.

This is what makes Olentangy stand out from all schools in Ohio!

Delaware County college students - it's time to apply to the Ralph and Mable Gooding Scholarship through the Delaware County Foundation. To qualify for this scholarship, college students must have completed at least one year of college and attended a Delaware County high school for 4 years and graduated from that high school. College students must also have at least a 2.5 GPA. Applications (link below) must submitted it by June 1.

Let me know if you have any questions!

Ralph J. and Mabel C. Gooding Memorial Scholarship - Delaware County Foundation | Delaware, Ohio | Established 1995 The Ralph and Mabel Gooding Memorial Scholarship Fund was created upon the passing of Ralph and Mabel Gooding in January 2003.  The Gooding Family has a long history in Delaware […]

Check your mailboxes for Olentangy’s Popular Annual Financial Report. THIS is the document every resident should read. not only does it provide financial information but also district demographic information. Read it and then attend Tuesday’s board meeting where the updates 5-Year Financial Forecast will be presented. And BTW Olentangy spends LESS per pupil than our similar districts AND less than the state’s average!

Julie Feasel Education Advocate Information about Ohio education issues and the Olentangy Local School District.

While the Ohio General Assembly has been on their Spring Break, that doesn't mean that Olentangy isn't out there advocating for our district. Besides talking to legislators about the need to continue with the Fair Funding Formula, school board members and administrators have been educating elected officials on the detriment that House Bill 1 (property tax, income tax changes) would have on our district -- and all school districts, townships, libraries, fire departments, etc.

Olentangy treasurer Ryan Jenkins explains the negative impact House Bill 1 would have in this story from Spectrum News.

House Bill 1 could affect funding for school districts statewide Some say it'll make it tougher to pass levies.

If you build it, they will come. And yes, students keep coming into our district. Even though the weather didn’t allow for an in-person groundbreaking, work will soon begin on elementary school #17. When we moved into this district there were only 3 elementary schools. When my husband went to school here there was just one school, K-12. This growth is a testimony of the excellently education our students receive, including my two!

Olentangy Local School District breaking ground on 17th elementary school The school says the new addition is being built in response to continued enrollment growth throughout the district.

Last week, focus groups were held to help determine what qualities the community would like in its next superintendent. On Thursday, the school board met to finalize the superintendent profile, job posting and timeline. Read more about the the progress of the superintendent search in this article from the Delaware Gazette.

Olentangy posts superintendent vacancy - Delaware Gazette The Olentangy Local School District has approved the profile, job posting, and timeline for identifying its next superintendent following Mark Raiff’s announcement in January of his intention to retire this summer.

Today, Olentangy Treasurer Ryan Smith testified in favor of the Fair School Funding Plan with changes that would update the inputs to FY 2022. You can read his testimony at the link below. Currently, the Fair School Funding Plan is based on FY 2018 inputs. Updating the inputs to FY 2022 makes the funding more accurate to today's expenses.
https://ohiohouse.gov/committees/finance-subcommittee-on-primary-and-secondary-education/meetings/cmte_h_sub_primary_secondary_ed_1_2023-03-16-0930_247

The House Ways and Means Committee will hear testimony on House Bill 1 starting at 2:30 pm. There is a full slate of opponents testifying against this bill including the Ohio Township Association, County Commissioners of Ohio, Ohio Parks and Recreation Association, Ohio Mayors Alliance and more. This bill not only severely impacts school districts but all local taxing entities that provide services that Ohioans depend on. You can read the testimony now at https://ohiohouse.gov/committees/ways-and-means/meetings/cmte_h_wm_1_2023-03-14-0230_217

Several days ago I posted about House Bill 1 - being billed as a tax cut, but in reality it would severely impact local taxing entities from libraries to fire to parks to school districts, etc. At Thursday night's school board meeting, Olentangy Treasurer discussed the impact to the school district. The photo in this post is a summary.

Putting it into dollars and cents, if the Fair School Funding Plan continues to be funded, Olentangy would receive $1,270 per pupil from the state in FY 24. This is great as the district would finally receive funding in line with what private schools receive on a per pupil basis. HOWEVER, if House Bill 1 is also implemented, the district would only receive $425 per pupil! This is a bad bill.

You can listen to Mr. Ryan's explanation of how House Bill 1 will impact Olentangy at the 30 minute mark of the school board meeting video https://www.olentangy.k12.oh.us/board-of-education/board-meetings/board-meeting-livestream

When you live in a school district that is one of only 12 in the state to receive five stars in every category of the state report card, other people want to live here too. That's why home builders keep building more homes. The district will break ground on elementary #17 on March 23 and middle school #6 will open in August.

Hundreds of new homes to be built in Berlin Township By Gary [email protected] More than 500 new homes are

Over the years, I've discussed the Fair School Funding Plan A LOT on this page. Yes, I am still following the latest round of this plan and what it means for Olentangy, but this budget-debate season, House Bill 1 has my - and our district's - fullest attention.

House Bill 1 is billed as a tax decrease for Ohioans but because of how it is currently structured, it could have severe impacts on local taxing entities including schools, libraries, roads, police, fire, senior citizens organizations, parks - basically any local taxing authority.

According to Paul Imfhoof with the Buckeye Association of School Administrators, House Bill 1 would: "For the average homeowner in Ohio, who has the average income, it would be very fair to say that if the bill is passed as written, the income tax cut will be eclipsed by the property tax increase," said Paul Imhoff, the director of governmental affairs for the Ohio Superintendent Association.

Olentangy treasurer Ryan Jenkins is quoted extensively in this article in the Columbus Dispatch regarding the negative impacts HB 1 could have on school districts, especially ours as HB 1 would increase local tax levies.

Mr. Jenkins will be discussing this bill at tonight's school board meeting. For more information, read this article.

Would you pay more or less under Ohio House Republican tax plan? Here's how to calculate it House Bill 1 would flatten Ohio's income tax down to a single rate. But it could end up raising the overall tax burden of most Ohioans.

With increased enrollment throughout the district, our Olentangy Academy building needs additional space. The building will be undergoing an expansion to serve more students.

Olentangy Academy facility to expand - Delaware Gazette The Olentangy Local School District (OLSD) is set to expand its Olentangy Academy building, 7774 Graphics Way in Lewis Center, to pave the way for the growth of its Academy for Community Transition (ACT) program. During last week’s meeting of the Olentangy Schools Board of Education, a contract wi...

What are you doing Tuesday, March 7? Attend Olentengy’s State of the Schools event.

Our One Olentangy community will be coming together on Tuesday, March 7. We can't wait to see you there!

At Thursday night's school board meeting, the board heard a presentation on the next elementary school - Elementary 17 - which will be at the southwest corner of Peachblow and Piatt Roads. The layout of this elementary school will be similar to Shale Meadows with some modifications. Read more in today's Delaware Gazette.

17th elementary on its way - Delaware Gazette During Thursday’s meeting of the Olentangy Local School District (OLSD) Board of Education, an update was provided on the second of two new elementary schools that were to be developed as a result of the district’s successful levy campaign in 2020.

There is a school board meeting tonight at 6:30 pm at the administration building. The link to the agenda is below but highlights include an overview of summer programming and the literature review process.
https://www.olentangy.k12.oh.us/board-of-education/board-meetings/board-meeting-records

Today, Tuesday, February 7 kicks off the state budget debate which includes the Fair School Funding Plan. From Cleveland.com read what's at stake regarding school funding.
https://www.cleveland.com/news/2023/02/gov-mike-dewines-education-budget-proposal-provides-something-for-almost-anyone-will-the-legislature-pass-it.html

Gov. Mike DeWine’s education budget proposal provides something for almost anyone. Will the legislature pass it? The General Assembly is to begin discussing the state's two-year operating budget, which includes funding for Ohio's 1.6 million students.

We've talked about revenues per pupil, but what about the costs to educate each student? Olentangy spends less per pupil than the state's and similar districts' average. Since Olentangy only gets $988 per public in state funding, the majority of the cost per pupil is made up by local property taxes.