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Valley View
Local School District

VALLEY
VIEW FAQs
CONTACT INFORMATION:
Ben Richards, Superintendent
(937) 855-6581
ben.richards@valleyview.k12.oh.us

BOARD MEMBERS:
Elliot Boyd
Mark Cline
Ben DeGroat
Spencer Izor
Angie Valenti
1) What is the issue on the ballot?
A new K-5/9-12 school building and
improvements to the current high school and
athletic facilities. The building includes core
space for future middle school students and will
be designed for future expansion into a full K-12
school facility.
2) Why do we need this project?
a. Our Primary, Intermediate, and Junior High
buildings do not provide adequate environments
in which to teach our children. Lack of climate
control, security, ADA accessibility and
technology are all placing severe limitations on
our students and staff.
b. Those 3 buildings are in the most need, with
all 3 labeled as “Poor” by the OFCC (Ohio Facilities
Construction Commission). They will not pay for
any renovations to those buildings.
c. Numerous community meetings showed that
there was strong community support for keeping
our current high school, which will become a 6-8
middle school.
d. Community surveys showed the most
support for either a new K-12 building or two new
buildings (one K-5, the other 9-12). We are simply
combining the two most popular plans in a way
that is the most cost effective.
e. This project will provide our students with
programming and facilities to prepare them to
be competitive with other area schools.
3) How will this project be funded?
The state (OFCC) will fund 60% of the base
project, leaving us with only 40% to raise
ourselves. This is the best ratio Valley View has
ever received and early indications are that we
will not see a better percentage in the future.
We have elected to add a few extra things to the
projects which are 100% funded by us.
1) Some fixed seating for an auditorium at the
new building while also using flexible seating to
use as cafeteria seating
2) A new bus garage on this new complex in
order to centralize transportation and to increase
parking by Barker Field
3) Basic renovations to the existing high school
and athletic facility improvements.
State Portion $ 29,683,940
Local Portion $ 19,789,294
Locally Funded Initiatives $ 8,563,479
4) How will we be funding our portion?
With a 5.5 mill bond levy, along with a .5% income
tax increase.
5) Why a combined issue?
We have very serious facility AND operating
concerns. We have had to use money from our
general fund to supplement repairs. That, in
conjunction with the unconstitutional way that
Ohio schools are funded, necessitates doing both at
the same time.
6) Why is the bond issue a property tax and the
operating levy an income tax?
We listened to our community and the struggle of
how property tax affects certain groups (namely
farmers and retirees) more than others. Social
Security benefits are not subjected to an income
tax, making this proposal less of a burden on our
senior citizens.
7) Where will the K-5/9-12 building be located?
The district is in the process of swapping land with
the Weaver family to acquire land to the west of
the current high school (past the ball fields) and to
the south of the HS in exchange for our land across
Manning and across the Pike that was donated to
the district by the Swartzel family. This eliminates
the concern regarding the pipeline. The facility will
be located on this new campus. The exact location is
still being examined.
8) Will the kindergartners be mixed in with high
school students?
No. The buildings will have separate entrances and
really function as separate buildings. However,
it will give high school students the opportunity
to help at the elementary with presentations
and demonstrations during the day, allowing for
additional learning opportunities for all of our
students.
Locally Funded
Initiatives
State Portion
Local Portion