Dear Families, Employees and Community Leaders,

Perrysburg Schools would like to acknowledge the vital role you play in shaping the future of our school district and thank you for your continued partnership and trust. Today, I am writing to share important updates regarding the school district’s challenges and the steps we must take to ensure we provide the best possible education for our students within our current financial constraints.

The recent defeat of the operating levy has reduced our available funds by 17%. This has left us with difficult decisions to make as we work to maintain quality education for our students. In an effort to better maximize building space, gain better efficiencies with staff utilization and bus routes, and delay the need to purchase additional classroom trailers, we have identified redrawing elementary school boundaries as a potential step to help achieve these goals, which will result in cost savings and ensure equitable and efficient use of our resources. This change would be designed to:  

•    Increase the efficiency of bus routes and walk zones, reducing transportation costs.  

•    Balance enrollment across our schools, preventing overcrowding and delaying the need for additional portable classrooms.  

•    Streamline the delivery of student supports and services amidst staff reductions.

While our long-term plans presented to voters in November 2023 and March 2024 included opening a new elementary school, expanding some existing elementary schools, and establishing new boundaries upon the completion of the project, the school district is now facing a 17% loss of its annual revenue and the reality that long-term plans to alleviate overcrowding are no longer financially feasible. Our community’s continued growth means we must take action now to address enrollment imbalances and preserve resources.

We understand that this change may be challenging, and we are committed to ensuring a transparent, thoughtful process. Community input is invaluable as we move forward in creating this plan. To that end, families with students in grades preschool through three have been invited to take a survey about the impacts specifically for them.

No decisions have been made about elementary school boundary lines at this time. We will host engagement sessions to gather additional feedback, with details shared soon.

Timeline

•    January 2025 to early February 2025 - Elementary boundary options will be created, reviewed, and presented to the community, and meetings will be held to gather feedback.

•    February 2025 - Feedback from surveys and meetings will be evaluated to inform the potential roll-out process. The finalized boundary recommendation will then be prepared for presentation to the Board of Education.

•    February 18, 2025 - Present boundary options to the Board of Education, share feedback collected during the community engagement process, and recommend an option for the Board’s consideration.

•    March 2025 - Communicate the finalized changes to families and staff members, and initiate detailed plans to support student and staff transitions.

Thank you for your understanding and support as we navigate these changes together. Our goal remains ensuring ALL students achieve their greatest potential.

Sincerely,  

Thomas L. Hosler

Superintendent

Perrysburg Schools