Posted: 5:20 p.m.Wednesday, March 30, 2016

MIDDLETOWN

Middletown school board president:Focus on future not past

ByMichael D. Clark

Staff Writer

MIDDLETOWN — The leader of Middletown’sschool board says don’t focus at where the district has been at the expense ofseeing where it’s going.

MiddletownSchools are about to launch major and historic initiatives, including nextweek’s ground breaking for a new school, public outreach for a new strategicplan, bolstered school security and refinancing of district bonds that couldsave taxpayers $1 million.

Theaggressive plans were delivered this week by first-year Middletown Board ofEducation President Chris Urso during the city’s “state of the city” event.

“Thecenter of a community is its schools, and it is our schools that can lead the wayto a more optimistic Middletown,”said Urso, who was invited by Middletown Mayor Larry Mulligan Jr. to speak atTuesday’s event.

MiddletownSchools have been buffeted in recent months with the latest rounds of lowscores on the state’s annual report card and a state audit earlier this month that criticized ahandful of the school district’s finance procedures but found no missing money.

ButUrso, who is one of four recently elected members of the five-person schoolboard, said residents of the Butler County city have much tobe optimistic about but they also share in creating a better future for theirpublic schools.

“Weare fighting against a history of people being pessimistic, but I’m reallyoptimistic as along as the community is involved,” Urso said Wednesday.

Amajor key will be a new strategic plan to be developed after a public outreachcampaign starting in April - dates have yet to be scheduled - with a series ofopinion-gathering meetings, he said.

“Youhave to have the community buy in. We want to find out what people are thinking(about the schools) and gauge the community,” said Urso.

OnMonday, Urso and other school officials will join local business and communityleaders at a ground-breaking ceremony for the district’s new middle school andextensive renovation of Middletown High School.

Theschool construction stems from residents in 2014 barely approving a taxincrease of $95 million for the projects.

Ursosaid the recent state audit aside, in which most of the district’s proceduralmistakes have already been corrected, Middletown Schools’ “general fundrevenues have exceeded expenditures for each of the last two years and areexpected to do the same this current year and upcoming years as well.”

“Currently,we are exploring an opportunity to refinance the district’s 2007 constructionbonds that will substantially save our taxpayers future interest costs forthese refinanced bonds,” he said, adding the district could save $1 million ormore “if the markets continue to work in our favor.”

Thedistrict’s annual operating budget is $85 million.

MiddletownSuperintendent Sam Ison said, “This is an exciting time for the schools.”

“Weare in the beginning stages of the renovation and construction of our last twoeducational facilities. This means, that by the fall of 2018, all 10 of ourdistrict buildings will be new, or newly renovated within a span of 12 years,from 2006 to 2018.

“Withthe new buildings,” said Ison, “I believe our district is standing on theprecipice of hope.”