Letters to the Editor
Building Berkshire’s Future
There is a levy coming up in May for voters in the Berkshire school district to vote on a new school building that will be built on Kent State Geauga’s property.
I am so excited about this new school initiative that has been proposed by Berkshire. This project will partner up with Kent State Geauga, Auburn Career Center, local businesses and University Hospitals to bring the latest in technology, curriculum and career opportunities to our students.
As a recently retired teacher from Burton Elementary, I am very enthusiastic about the possibilities this project will present to so many children — along with my own little grandchildren who are just beginning their school careers.
Our students will have a chance to expand their horizons with the new technology, Stem curriculum, college credits and partnerships within the business community. This will make them career and college ready when they graduate high school.
The fact this new facility will be 55 percent paid for by the state and we can get a loan for 3.5 percent fixed interest rate is something we should take advantage of.
I would rather pay for this than try and fix old schools and their roofs and boiler systems that will be a continuous work in progress. The energy efficient savings alone is just an example of what the new school would experience.
One of our greatest concerns today is for the safety of our children. The OFCC (Ohio Facilities Construction Commission) requires this facility be built with upgraded standards of safety and security.
The way Berkshire wants to teach our students is exciting in itself. To maximize this new instruction, it would be beneficial to have a school designed for the 21st century learning. Children will be taught to collaborate, communicate and problem-solve using project-based learning. We need a 21st century school with spaces to accomplish these goals.
Yes, my husband and I are seniors, too, and someday we will want to sell our home. Don’t we want to raise the values of the housing market by having an innovative school district in our community? We should seriously think about supporting our community as well as the children of this district.
If you have concerns or questions, please attend a meeting or read about this opportunity online at www.berkshireschools.org. I believe all the bases have been covered and all questions have been answered.
The time is now to Build Berkshire’s Future for our students and our community as well.
Janet Sherman
Claridon Township
Vote Yes on Berkshire PRIME
On May 8, the Berkshire school community will have an opportunity to vote for an extraordinary chance to upgrade our schools, both by new construction and innovative curriculum: the PRIME Initiative.
With the current school buildings in need of repair at high cost (“replacement is more cost effective than renovation,”) the Ohio state government has committed to funding 55 percent of total replacement costs for new and safer buildings. The rest of the new building costs will be raised through the levy over a period of 38 years.
This state offer is only valid once — and that is this year.
A vote of ‘Yes’ for this extraordinary opportunity for our children and the added benefit of increased real estate values makes this vote a no brainer.
A separate issue is what will happen to the vacated school properties in Burton Village. The council has embarked on a strategic planning process that will take into account the proper zoning for those tracts so that future development is protective of Burton’s Historic District and serves the community well.
Council stated it would work with the Board of Education on the future use of those locations. There are no plans for a truck company adjacent to the historic district. It is a false alarm. Council assured me Burton Village and community leaders would not allow such a desecration of our New England style historic village.
Such lack of wisdom and respect for our community would meet with great resistance from the residents. The fear this might happen should not deprive our children of a new and safer school.
So, we have a choice on May 8, to vote ‘Yes’ and to give our children a state-of-the-art new school with an innovative curriculum that will prepare them for the job market in the future or to keep our students in deteriorating increasingly unsafe buildings.
Voting ‘Yes’ accepts this unique opportunity the Ohio state government offers our students. trust the Board of Education and local leaders’ wisdom, and Vote Yes for the PRIME initiative levy.
Jacqueline Samuel
Burton
