Reynoldsburg City School District hoping to get input on possible budget cuts

REYNOLDSBURG, Ohio (WCMH) -- The Reynoldsburg City School District is extending an olive branch to parents of students and people in the community, hoping to get their input on how to move forward as possible reductions loom.    

“I think it's important for our community to be able to ask questions and  give some feedback on what their thoughts are regarding it,” said Reynoldsburg City Schools Superintendent, Dr. Tracy Reed. “So we make sure that everyone understands the process, but also some of the things that we are considering as we are looking at district resources.”   

Since their emergency levy failure in November, the Reynoldsburg City School District has been working through ways to balance their budget as they must cut $8.5 million. At a previous board meeting in December talks of possible reductions included fewer assistant principals in elementary schools, getting rid of athletic programs as a whole and more leaving some parents concerned.    

“I got several email communications from community members who were concerned about us removing our resource officers who are Reynoldsburg Police Department staff members,” Reed said. “So I hear that, so then if I don't cut those, then I have to I have to remove something else and I don't know if they understand that.”   

A community meeting being held today is set to be a forum for parents and members of the community to talk with officials and even make suggestions on how the district should move forward. The superintendent noting small groups of people will rotate in conversations with herself and her team members creating an individualized dialogue, quite different from a regular board meeting.    

There's a lot of technical and specific things that go into some of the decisions that need to be made,” Reed said. “We want to make sure that they have an opportunity to actually get a glimpse behind the curtain as it relates to the work that has to be done in order for us to get to our end product or it goal.”   

The interactive community meeting is scheduled for Thursday evening at 5:30 p.m. at STEM Middle at Baldwin Road Junior High.