Franklin School Board president Brian Spaid broached the subject of school district mergers during the board’s meeting Monday.
“It is time, as I am leaving this board, it is time we consider combining school districts,” Spaid said about the possibility of the Franklin and Valley Grove districts merging. “People need to realize it is time.”
Several Franklin board members applauded Spaid’s statement Monday, which began after he questioned district athletic director Becky Barnes about how combined sports teams’ transportation costs could be more evenly distributed among the participating districts.
“We almost didn’t have a girls (soccer) team this year because of low numbers,” Barnes said.
Spaid referenced meager graduation numbers at both high schools this year as Franklin High School had 106 graduates and Rocky Grove High School had 59 graduates.
“We can not sustain what we are doing in this county for much longer,” Spaid said. “Either we do it or the state’s going to do it.”
School board member Ronald Richburg agreed, saying “down the road it’s going to happen here. Rocky Grove (and) Franklin, Oil City (and) Cranberry. It is what it is.”
In other business at Monday’s Franklin meeting, several 2021-22 music events were presented to the board by band director Steve Johnston and director of choirs Sarah Gilbert.
Johnston said the Black Knight Marching Band was invited to perform in the 2022 National Memorial Day Parade in Washington, D.C.
“This will be the 11th trip I’ve planned on the national scale,” he said.
Johnston said the trip will cost $550 per student, and band members will raise the money on their own.
Johnston also discussed Bandfest 2022 that will be held at the high school. The festival’s cost will largely be covered through registration fees and is tentatively scheduled for May 6, he said.
Gilbert discussed “The Sound of Music” that is proposed as the 2021-22 school year musical.
Gilbert said collaborations with Rocky Grove High School will continue. Franklin middle school and elementary students would also be invited to participate and fill roles like the younger VonTrapp children, Gilbert said.
“I absolutely love the idea of pulling in middle school and elementary students,” school board member Misty Nalepa said.
Gilbert also discussed the 2022 Madrigal trip that has been postponed twice since its originally planned date of May 23, 2020, due to the pandemic.
The trip – which has largely already been financed – will have students travel to New York City from May 25-29 next year to perform at Carnegie Hall.
It was announced Monday the district will continue to hold high school graduation ceremonies at the football field.
“Moving forward we would like to keep it at the stadium, but move the time of day so it is not as hot,” high school principal Christina Cohlhepp said.
Cohlhepp said she heard good feedback from parents who said they liked being able to see their children better from the stands.
“I thought graduation went well… It was hot,” Spaid said.
Franklin graduation ceremonies had been held for years at the downtown parks until the move to the football field this year.
The board will approve the district’s 2021-22 final general operating budget at Monday’s meeting.
Tentatively, revenues are listed at $34,809,208 with expenditures at $37,729,232, creating a net income loss of $2,920,024 that will be drawn from the general fund, according to district business manager Kimberly Eaton.
Franklin will see a $1,246,000 increase in federal funds from allocation and planned use of ESSER II and partial ESSER III funds, Eaton said.
The tentative budget approved last month does not call for a tax increase for district residents.
