With levy passage, Bulldogs ready to begin new era of growth
By Robin Hauenstein
May 17, 2011
364
Summary: Following the May 2 victory at the polls, Dalton Local Schools prepare to move forward with the construction of a new school. Superintendent Scott Beatty took time to look at the future of his district.
Grateful and blessed. Those were the words Scott Beatty, Dalton Local Schools superintendent, kept using to describe the recent levy passage in his district. After a failed attempt in November, voters approved a 6.5-mill, 28-year levy, to build a $14.5 million building to house the districts pre-K through eighth-grade students. The building is slated to be constructed on North Church Street (SR 94), near the present Dalton High School, which is undergoing a construction project of its own.
Im happy for our community and it says a lot about people in these difficult times to support the levy, Beatty noted. We had tremendous community and family support.
Beatty added the advantage now will be that the entire student body will be in one main location. High school and elementary students will be next door, and Beatty said it cuts down on busing the elementary students to the high school for events in auditorium and gymnasium. High schools students also are bused down the street to the elementary to work with younger classes on projects. He felt the levy will make it more economical for the district, with fewer fuel and driver bills, as well as cutting the mileage for staff who also must make the short commute to and from the buildings on a daily basis.
Passage of the levy means the current Dalton Elementary and its neighboring intermediate schools will be sold, as will Kidron Elementary. Its a process. The board has to make some decisions, and any sales of property must be done on strict state guidelines. Beatty added there have been parties with expressed interest in both locations. The Dalton administration also has to finalize some land purchases in order to make the new complex a reality. The district also has land already bought and awaiting construction.
Concerns about personnel cuts have been addressed as well. Staff reductions have been made, including streamlining the elementary and intermediate principal job into one, and a retiring secretary was not replaced. Ive tried to be proactive, Beatty said.
The success of passing the levy this time, Beatty said, belongs to the levy committee. We were able to give the community more detail, showing drawings and having frequently asked questions ahead of time. He felt there was more dialogue at the community meetings and instead of him doing all the talking, the committee members did a lot of campaigning.
While the levy passed, Beatty knows he has to still address questions from the 42 percent of the community who did not support it. Weve got to continue to educate people and keep them informed.
Construction on the building is expected to begin in a year and then another 18 months to complete.
While the Dalton community prepares for the new school building, the wait for the new high school athletic complex will be shorter. Rainy weather has slowed the initial phases of construction for the $1.4 million privately funded facility. Beatty said the fundraising continues for more phases of it, and anticipates the first completed part to open after school starts. The building, he said, will afford a quality facility. Those working on the fundraising have also contacted the Wayne County Foundation and are looking at a new concession stand, softball fields and a band practice field. The building under construction features a new gymnasium, weight room, locker rooms, and wrestling room at Dalton High School.
Were going to see some growth Beatty said, referring to the Dalton community. The superintendent noted the housing market should improve, and new facilities will attract families. He recounted showing out-of-state visitors who wanted to move into the area the schools. The age and condition of the building, he believed, kept them from buying a house and enrolling their children in Dalton Local Schools.
I shudder to think had we not passed it, where we would have gone as a school system, Beatty said. Passage on May 2 means the district will never have to find out.
