91Ó°Ôº

Ballot Language: School Safety - Including, but not limited to, school resource officers; school security guards; security cameras; security alarm systems; fire alarm systems; emergency communications; and emergency planning and preparedness ($542,112).

The district has prioritized school safety by placing it atop its proposed excess levy call.  Items listed in this provision focus on recurring costs that enhance the safety and security of district students and staff.  The district has contracted with local law enforcement to provide school resource officers at the district’s high schools, middle schools, and the Cabell County Career Technology Center at an estimated annual cost of $482,000, which includes approximately $150,000 in federal funding per year.  The district has also contracted with a company to provide security guards at the district’s two high schools at an estimated annual cost of up to $200,000.  The district also maintains a fire suppression system and security alarm system at a combined annual cost of approximately $81,500 and maintains a budget for the purchase and replacement of radios and other safety/security equipment.  While not listed in this provision, the district funds major safety-related facilities upgrades through its capital expenditure budget.

Ballot Language: School Playgrounds and Outdoor Learning Spaces – Including, but not limited to, new playground equipment; playground equipment replacement; outdoor classrooms; repair and maintenance of playgrounds and school grounds; landscaping; and playground mulch ($215,500).

Beyond classrooms, we recognize the importance of outdoor spaces in a child's development. The proposed excess levy allocates funds for the creation and maintenance of school playgrounds and outdoor learning areas, enhancing the overall learning experience.

Traditionally, the funding for school playgrounds has relied on the dedicated efforts of parents and PTOs through fundraising initiatives. This funding will contribute to both the establishment of new playgrounds and the enhancement of existing ones, offering resources to foster creativity, teamwork, and a sense of community among our students. The proposed excess levy would provide revenue for playgrounds, outdoor classrooms, and recreational spaces. In addition to being utilized by students during the day, many of our playgrounds are open to the community after school hours, providing safe places for all children to play.

Ballot Language: Employee Salaries and Benefits – Including, but not limited to, salaries of personnel in excess of 200 days; salaries for staff in excess of state funding formula; local salary supplements above the state minimum pay schedule; substitute personnel; and employee benefits, including, but not limited to taxes, retirement contributions, insurance benefits, unemployment compensation, and workers compensation ($16,794,470).

The proposed excess levy allocates funding to maintain local salary supplements and benefits to district employees.  Local salary supplements for most 200-day professionals, such as teachers, counselors, nurses, and social workers vary from $5,029 to $6,229 per year, depending on the employee’s degree level and years of experience.  Local salary supplements for most 200-day service employees, such as aides, bus drivers, cooks, custodians, and secretaries vary from $3,349 to $3,857 per year, depending on the employee’s pay grade and years of experience.  Other local salary supplements that the excess levy provides for are various co-curricular supplements, academic program sponsors, career and technical education supplements, special education supplements, locally funded national certification supplements, and the locally funded personal leave incentive program.  In the context of previous excess levies, the county has been able to provide local salary supplements above the state minimum salary.  The proposed excess levy allocates funding to maintain those local salary supplements already in place.

Also included in this provision of the proposed excess levy is funding for dental insurance, vision insurance, and long-term disability insurance for all full-time employees free of charge.  Maintaining these programs costs the district’s general fund approximately $1,776,000 annually.

The district also maintains a staffing level well above the number of positions funded through state aid.  As of October 2023, the district employed approximately 77 professional positions and 98 service positions through the district’s general fund above the state funding formula.  Many professional employees hold contracts beyond 200 days to provide support before the school year starts and after the school year ends.  These additional days are not funded through the state aid formula.  The district also hires a summer work crew of service employees each summer to prepare each school for the upcoming school year.  The proposed excess levy helps pay for positions and additional contract days that exceed the state funding formula.

The cost of substitute employees paid from the current excess levy is approximately $1,400,000 annually.  This amount excludes substitutes paid with non-local funds, including state aid.

Ballot Language: Career & Technical Education and Workforce Development– Including, but not limited to, staff, equipment, supplies, and travel expenses for CTE programs ($3,120,530).

Career and Technical Education (CTE) programs are a priority for the district in order to ensure students are workforce-ready upon graduation.  This is outlined in the district’s Five-Year Strategic Plan.  The proposed excess levy appropriates $3,120,530 for CTE costs, including instructor salaries and benefits, equipment and supplies for CTE programs, and travel expenses for students to attend CTE events.

High quality staff and state-of-the-art equipment provide opportunities for our students to gain the skills and knowledge crucial for success in the workforce.  Our school district is dedicated to shaping a workforce that meets the local demand for skilled trades, healthcare, commerce, aerospace, and highly technical careers. These career pathways not only align with the pulse of our community but also pave the way for students to secure good-paying jobs upon graduation. 91Ó°Ôº is always looking for opportunities to propel our students toward success in careers that are not just locally relevant but also financially rewarding, showcasing the inherent assets within our community that can drive economic prosperity.

Ballot Language: Athletics – Including, but not limited to, salaries for coaches; intramural activities; and other costs associated with athletic programs ($836,808).

The district’s two high schools and four middle schools have a combined 70+ athletic teams that compete in a wide variety of sports.  The district compensates coaches for working with student athletes at an estimated annual cost of $545,720.  The district also provides each middle school and high school with a budget for athletics supplies, which totals approximately $80,000 per year.  In addition, the district also contracts for the use of facilities with local golf courses and the Marshall University’s Recreation Center for practices and competitions.  While not listed in this provision, the district maintains its athletics facilities through its capital expenditure budget.

Successful public-school athletic programs not only build a sense of community pride but also set high expectations for our students both on and off the field. Beyond promoting physical fitness, these programs instill essential life skills such as discipline, teamwork, and leadership.  These top-tier athletic programs offer students not just skill development, but also increased chances to secure athletic scholarships.

Ballot Language: Summer Programs – Including, but not limited to, staff, student transportation, supplies, and field trips for summer programs ($551,375).

Summer learning programs, initially fueled by temporary American Rescue Plan Act funding, have evolved and expanded into a highly successful strategy for meeting students' and families' needs since the pandemic. The proposed 91Ó°Ôº Excess Levy allocates funding for the continuation of these programs, including staff support, student transportation, supplies, and enriching field trips.  These camps have also been a boost to working families, providing engaging activities that keep our students connected and learning over the summer.

Our summer initiatives, such as the Japanese Immersion Camp, Lego and STEM camps, CTE Summer Camp, and the Sixth Grade and Ninth Grade Climb Institutes, have proven to be highly successful. These programs have become more than just activities; they are vibrant opportunities for students to explore, learn, and thrive during the summer months.  As an example, our Sixth and Ninth Grade Climb Institutes offer students three days over the summer to acclimate themselves with their new schools, teachers, and classmates before the school year begins.  This has allowed them to enter their new programmatic levels and schools more confidently and more prepared to learn and thrive.

While the district has offered summer programs for many years, the district has greatly expanded its summer offerings during and following the COVID-19 pandemic using multiple funding sources, including the Elementary and Secondary Schools Emergency Relief Fund (ESSERF).  With the final round of ESSERF funds expiring in September 2024, the district intends to continue enhanced summer programming and has allocated $551,375 of its proposed excess levy call for staff salaries, supplies, field trips, and bus routes to transport students to and from school during the summer schedule.

Ballot Language: Facilities Maintenance and Equipment – Including, but not limited to, construction; building repair; roof replacement; asbestos abatement; equipment repair; new equipment; equipment replacement; new furniture; furniture replacement; paving; new vehicles; vehicle replacement; custodial supplies; property insurance; liability insurance; and flood insurance ($4,610,744).

The school district comprises of 31 campuses, including 26 brick-and-mortar schools where students attend each day.  Maintaining two and a half dozen campuses over a fairly wide geographic area is a challenge the district faces every day to ensure buildings and grounds are kept up to standards.  In order to maintain a clean, orderly, and safe environment at each of the school district’s locations throughout the county, the district must invest significant funding each year. 

Within the walls of the buildings and on the grounds of each campus, equipment must remain up-to-date and in good working condition in order to keep each location clean, tidy, and safe.  The district replaces aging or damaged furniture and equipment each year and paves and seals parking lots for each location on a rotating basis and as needs arise.  Heating and cooling systems across the county require regular maintenance and periodically need replaced.  Roofs throughout the district are repaired or replaced on a rotating basis and the district averages several roofing projects per year.

Insurance costs have also increased in recent years.  Property and flood insurance are on the rise due to inflation caused by the higher cost of building materials.  Liability insurance costs have risen significantly in the last two years for all boards of education with no increase in state funding to offset the costs.

The district owns a fleet of school buses, as well as vehicles for employees to conduct business throughout the county.  On average, the district purchases 8-10 new school buses per year, mostly utilizing state funds provided to the district for bus replacement.  Oftentimes, the state funds are insufficient in order to cover the purchase of all buses needed, so the district must fund the cost above the allocated bus replacement funds.  The district’s vehicle fleet in excess of school buses must be purchased through local funds.

With a district our size, new construction or renovation of existing buildings is always happening somewhere.  The district seeks out funding from the WV School Building Authority (SBA) frequently in order to achieve the goals established in the 10-year Comprehensive Educational Facilities Plan (CEFP) whenever possible, but projects selected for funding from the SBA generally require a locally funded contribution to the project.  Depending on the project size, the local match is often several million dollars in order to be considered for state funding.  The proposed excess levy includes “construction” as an item to address smaller projects the district takes on, but also to provide funding to serve as a local match for future SBA projects.

Ballot Language: Instructional Support and School Libraries – Including, but not limited to, library books; library software; textbooks; instructional software; instructional supplies; postage; postage supplies and equipment; support for instrumental music programs including equipment, music, and supplies, equipment repair, and supplies; art supplies; and student and staff travel ($2,082,924).

Our commitment to educational excellence extends beyond the classroom, emphasizing the vital role of instructional support and enriching resources within our school libraries. The proposed 91Ó°Ôº Excess Levy provides funding for tools teachers and students need for meaningful, engaging, hands-on learning experiences.

Previous excess levies have ensured that every school in our district, year after year, has access to the instructional resources necessary for dynamic and interactive learning activities. These resources have included library books, library software, textbooks, instructional software, instructional supplies, support for instrumental music programs (including equipment, instrument repair, and supplies), art supplies, and student and staff travel.

Our school district takes pride in its library and media centers, a hallmark present in all middle schools and high schools. At the elementary level, all schools have classroom libraries, and 11 schools boast fully equipped school libraries staffed with volunteers or dedicated school personnel. The need for continuing to update books in these spaces is essential, igniting students' imaginations and supporting a vibrant reading culture.

Our commitment to these important educational spaces is evident in the ongoing construction of state-of-the-art libraries. Highlawn Elementary, completed in 2020, showcases a beautiful new library and STEM lab. New school construction at Davis Creek, Meadows, and Milton Elementary schools, and the New Woody Williams Center for Advanced Learning and Careers, promise new, cutting-edge libraries that will soon be open. These spaces are designed to inspire students, providing a rich environment for exploration and discovery.

The proposed excess levy will also support art programming for ALL students and instrumental music programs, including equipment, music, instrument repair, and supplies. Our district is proud of our award-winning music and art programs.

The district provides an annual budget allocation to each school based upon each school’s enrollment to purchase instructional supplies for classrooms, library books, and postage stamps and supplies.  Secondary schools also receive an allocation for music equipment and supplies.  The annual allocation is approximately $550,000 per year.  The district also provides textbooks and electronic textbooks to students at an average annual cost of $1,840,000.

Ballot Language: Cybersafety and Device Security– Including, but not limited to, technology support and cybersecurity ($200,000).

In the era of rapid digitization, cybersecurity has become a necessary concern, especially for large organizations like schools and districts that are consistently under threat from hackers and viruses.

Since transitioning to a one-to-one (every student receives a digital learning device) school district, the personal safety of our students in the digital and online space has become one of our top priorities. The district continues to be proactive in ensuring the safety of our students and staff as they navigate the complexities of the digital landscape.

To protect students, it is essential to fortify our defenses against potential cyber threats. Through the proposed 91Ó°Ôº Excess Levy, a secure technological environment for education can be created and sustained, fostering an atmosphere where students can learn in the digital world with confidence.

Our school district is dedicated to safeguarding our educational technology, protecting the integrity of our digital learning platforms, and ensuring the continuous safety of our students in this ever-evolving digital age.

Ballot Language: Cabell County Public Library– Funds to support the operation of the Cabell County Public Library ($1,373,771).

91Ó°Ôº is committed to the success of the Cabell County Public Library and recognizes the indispensable role public libraries play in community development. The allocation of $6,868,855 over the term of the 5-year levy is a testament to our prioritization of sustained support for this essential community resource. It should be noted that the funding outlined in this levy call for the Cabell County Public Library is based upon the recommendation from the West Virginia Department of Education regarding the amount of funding schools should consider offering their local public library system.

This funding signifies our acknowledgment of the vital services provided by the public library and its impact on fostering a culture of learning and literacy beyond the school setting.

Ballot Language: Greater 91Ó°Ôº Park and Recreation District– Funds to support the operation of the Greater 91Ó°Ôº Park and Recreation District for the purpose of providing services to parks in Cabell County ($200,000). 
91Ó°Ôº is committed to the success of the Greater 91Ó°Ôº Park and Recreation District and recognizes the important role parks, recreation, and outdoor activities play in the development of the children, families, and adults in our community. The allocation of $1,000,000 over the term of the 5-year levy is a testament to our prioritization of sustained support for this essential community resource. It should be noted that this allotment of funding makes our district the highest contributor to a local park system in the state of West Virginia.

This funding signifies our acknowledgment of the vital services provided by the GHPRD and its impact on fostering a culture of learning, play, and exploration beyond the school setting.