September 2023 Updates & Reminders

September 25, 2023

Hello Independence School Families,

I wanted to share with you a few brief updates and reminders about our school calendar, our next Town Hall meeting, and the November election.

Total Eclipse

The solar eclipse on Monday, April 8, 2024, will be an extraordinary experience for all of us residing in Northeast Ohio. It is projected that this event will draw people from across the nation, and possibly from around the world, to witness the path of totality that will pass overhead. With this event, most municipalities and organizations are preparing for this major influx of people and planning for travel and logistical challenges.  

With most school districts thinking ahead, school is set to be canceled in many places. At the September Board of Education meeting, the Board approved a modification to our 2023-24 school calendar, canceling school for students on Monday, April 8, 2024. I’ve attached our updated school calendar for your reference. If you haven’t yet, consider purchasing some eclipse glasses and join in the experience!

Town Hall Meeting

We received positive feedback from in-person and online attendees at our May 2023 Town Hall Meeting. We are excited to offer another opportunity for community members to engage with our treasurer and superintendent. This meeting will provide updates on student opportunities, offer a financial overview, and allow for questions, as time permits. Please join us in person or virtually (link to be shared as the date approaches) on Wednesday, October 11 at 6 p.m. in the IHS Media Center. We will have coffee and tea for our attendees.

Issues 9 & 10

Independence Local Schools will have two issues for the community to consider on the November 7, 2023, ballot.  Issue 9 is a proposal for a renewal of the current emergency operating levy, which was first approved in 2011. The term “emergency operating” simply means the levy is a fixed-sum levy, and will always generate the same revenue for the district for the life of the levy. The district collected approximately $4.2 million per year in the first year of this levy through the last year of this levy. If approved, Issue 9 will not raise taxes. The renewal of the emergency operating levy will be 8.19 mills and continue to cost homeowners approximately $250 per year per $100,000 of home market value.

Issue 10 is a proposal for a new emergency operating (fixed-sum) levy, which if approved, will generate an additional approximate $2 million per year for Independence Local Schools for the life of the levy. If approved, this will be a 3.85 mill levy and cost homeowners approximately $135 per year per $100,000 of home market value.

Both levies are 10-year levies and if approved, will be used to fund general operating expenses of the district, including student opportunities and supports.

Please be on the lookout for our fall 2023 edition of the Independence Quarterly (IQ) which also includes our district’s 2022-23 Quality Profile. It includes many more facts about our upcoming levies, the amazing opportunities and successes of our students, and so much more!

Your partner in education,

Ben Hegedish

Superintendent

Independence Local Schools