Belpre BOE adjusts 2023 graduation date | News, Sports, Jobs

BELPRE — As Belpre High School’s seniors prepare to graduate in May, one change has been made for those who will graduate in 2023.

At Thursday’s meeting, Belpre City Schools Board of Education approved a motion to change the graduation date from May 28, 2023, to May 21, 2023.

The change was made at the request of community members following the board’s approval of the 2022-23 school calendar. Officials said they received input requesting that next year’s graduation be moved forward one week and brought the proposal to the board for approval Thursday night.

A list of 70 candidates for graduation were approved by the board at Thursday’s meeting.

In other business, the school board scheduled Belpre Elementary Summer School for 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. June 6-9, 13-16 and 20-23.

The board voted to accept donations from: $1,500 from Belpre Girls Basketball Association to the Girls Basketball; $3,388.66 from Reading for Education to BE Principal’s Fund; $500 from WV Central Credit Union to BE Principal’s fund for summer science camp; $1,407 from Athletic Boosters for Cheerleading; $200 from Kelli and Marios Coon to Art Club for tunnel mural; $50 from Reed Byers to Art Club for tunnel mural; $165 from Inspire 111 to Softball; $50 from Robert Rauch to Art Club for tunnel mural; $1,000 from Rotary Club of Belpre to Art Club for tunnel mural; and $150 from Belpre Woman’s Club to Art Club for tunnel mural.

Following the regular meeting, the board held a community information session regarding a proposed bond levy on the May 3 primary ballot in Belpre aimed at consolidating the school district’s facilities onto one campus under a proposed PreK-12 building.

The proposed levy would involve $40 million over a 37-year period at 3.18 percent interest as the local match toward a $62 million total cost. The remaining $22 million would come from the Ohio Facilities Construction Commission.

The levy will be for 8.1 mills with another 0.5 mills required under state law for maintenance costs, for a total of 8.6 mills. That would mean $300 for every $100,000 valuation in the district. Those 65 and over, low income and/or disabled would pay $225 per $100,000 valuation under the homestead exemption.

About 25 people attended the meeting, about half of whom indicated they were volunteers working on the levy support committee seeking its approval.

Little opposition was expressed for the goals and ideas behind the proposed project, but concerns were expressed about increases in the tax burden being placed on the community’s residents, especially those older or on fixed incomes. District officials said they would continue seeking all types of assistance available for the proposed project.

Wayne Towner can be reached at [email protected]