The Pickerington Local School District has announced that further budget reductions will be necessary to balance its finances unless voters approve a 0.75% income tax levy in November.

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The warning follows $3.25 million in spending cuts already executed after voters rejected a 1.25% income tax levy in May. According to the district’s five-year budget forecast, the school system projects a net loss of $9.63 million by 2031.

District officials outlined several programs that could be reduced or eliminated if the upcoming levy fails. On the chopping block are high school electives, middle school band and orchestra, select middle school “B” athletic teams, and on-campus College Credit Plus courses. Superintendent Charles Smialek indicated that further cuts could take effect in early 2027 if voters do not approve the measure.

Smialek stated that families often move to Pickerington specifically for the quality of its schools, warning that continued revenue gaps will force deeper cuts into fundamental student services and educational experiences. He emphasized that the district plans to spend the coming months informing residents about the financial situation so voters can make an educated choice at the ballot box.

School officials noted that financial pressure may continue even if the November levy passes.

The district’s financial forecast incorporates a new collective bargaining agreement with the Pickerington Education Association. The contract, which spans from July 1, 2026, to June 30, 2028, grants certified staff a 1% base salary increase and a 1% stipend in its first year.

Source: WOSU — Original report

Wararka Af-Soomaaliga

Dugsiyada Pickerington oo Digniin ka Bixiyay Dhimis Hor leh oo Lagu Sameeyo Barnaamijyada

Maamulka dugsiyada Pickerington Local School District ayaa ku dhawaaqay in dhimis dheeraad ah oo lagu sameeyo miisaaniyadda ay lagama maarmaan noqon doonto si loo dheelli tiro maaliyadda, mar haddii codbixiyayaashu aysan ansixin soo jeedinta cashuurta dakhliga oo dhan 0.75% bisha Nofembar ee soo socota.

Digniintan ayaa timid ka dib markii hore loo jaray miisaaniyad dhan $3.25 milyan oo doolar, ka dib markii codbixiyayaashu bishii May gachaan farixeen soo jeedin cashuureed oo ahayd 1.25%. Sida ku xusan saadaasha miisaaniyadda shanta sano ee dugsiyada, waxaa la filayaa in guud ahaan khasaaraha maaliyadeed uu gaaro $9.63 milyan oo doolar marka la gaaro sannadka 2031.

Madaxda dugsiyada ayaa tilmaamay barnaamijyo dhowr ah oo la dhimayo ama gebi ahaanba la baabbi’in doono haddii soo jeedinta maaliyadeed ee Nofembar ay dhacdo. Barnaamijyada khatarta ku jira waxaa ka mid ah koorsooyinka doorashada ee dugsiyada sare (high school electives), kooxaha muusigga ee dugsiyada dhexe (band and orchestra), qaar ka mid ah kooxaha ciyaaraha ee dugsiyada dhexe, iyo koorsooyinka kuleejka ee lagu dhex bixiyo xarunta dugsiga ee College Credit Plus. Isuduwaha dugsiyada Charles Smialek ayaa sheegay in dhimis dheeraad ah ay dhici karto bilowga sannadka 2027 haddii Nofembar la guuldarreysto.

Charles Smialek ayaa sheegay in qoysas badan ay Pickerington u soo guuraan gaar ahaan tayada dugsiyadeeda darteed, wuxuuna hoosta ka lineeyay in farqiga sii kraya ee u dhexeeya dakhliga iyo kharashka uu qasbi doono dhimis saameyn ku yeelata adeegyada aasaasiga ah iyo waxbarashada ardayda. Wuxuu intaas ku daray in maamulku uu ka shaqayn doono wacyigalinta dadweynaha inta ka horeysa maalinta doorashada si ay u dhiabtaan cod aqoon ku basada.

Sidoo kale, maamulka dugsiyadu wuxuu xusay in culeyska maaliyadeed uu sii jiri karo xitaa haddii soo jeedinta cashuurta ee Nofembar ay meel marto. Saadaasha maaliyadeed ayaa sidoo kale ku dhex jirta heshiiska cusub ee u dhexeeya dugsiyada iyo ururka Pickerington Education Association. Heshiiskan oo soconaya July 1, 2026 illaa June 30, 2028, ayaa sannadka ugu horreeya shaqaalaha la aqoonsan yahay u siinaya korodh mushahar oo ah 1% iyo kaalmo hal mar ah oo dhan 1%.

Xigasho: WOSU

PICKERINGTON, Ohio — Families in Pickerington, Ohio, are voicing concerns over school bus delays, changing route information, and transfer confusion following the launch of Pickerington Schools’ new all-day kindergarten program for the 2026-27 school year.

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The district introduced free, full-day kindergarten this year at the new Pickerington Kindergarten Center, housed in the former Diley Middle School facility. Under the new transportation system, kindergarten students eligible for busing ride a neighborhood bus to an assigned elementary hub—such as Heritage Elementary or Violet Elementary—where staff guide them onto a shuttle bound for the kindergarten center. The transfer procedure is repeated in reverse at the end of the school day.

During the initial days, several parents reported significant delays and communication breakdowns. Katie Cleary, a mother of four students in the district, reported that her kindergartener arrived home 50 minutes late on the first day, while her second grader was permitted to ride the bus despite not appearing on the driver’s official roster. Cleary has since organized a parent survey to collect feedback for district leaders.

Another parent, Jazzlyn Millberry, described receiving delayed and conflicting information after her son’s shuttle arrived at Heritage Elementary at 4:28 p.m. instead of the scheduled 3:45 p.m. Millberry said staff initially told her her son could not board his neighborhood bus home because a seat belt was unavailable. The contracted bus provider, Petermann Transportation, later informed her that seat belts are generally not supplied unless specified in a student’s individualized education program. Heritage Elementary subsequently issued a delay notification to families at 4:35 p.m. through BusRight, the district’s transportation management application.

Other families faced scheduling errors prior to the start of classes. Justin Howell reported that his kindergartener and second grader were initially assigned separate morning and afternoon bus stops despite traveling to the same elementary school, though the district eventually corrected the mistake.

Pickerington Schools Superintendent Charles Smialek acknowledged the early operational issues, including instances where some kindergarteners boarded the wrong shuttles. Smialek stated that misrouted children remained supervised at all times and were brought back to the kindergarten center before being redirected.

To resolve the problems, district officials have implemented several operational changes. Backpacks now carry a second identification tag specifying each student’s neighborhood bus and shuttle details. Additionally, staff access to the BusRight platform has been expanded across both the kindergarten center and elementary schools to improve real-time tracking and communication.

Source: NBC4 Columbus — Original report

Wararka Af-Soomaaliga

Pickerington: Waalidiinta oo ka cawday dib-u-dhaca baabuurta Kindergarten-ka

PICKERINGTON, Ohio — Waalidiinta ardayda ka tirsan degmada Pickerington Schools ee gobolka Ohio ayaa muujiyay walaac xooggan oo ku saabsan dib-u-dhaca baabuurta dugsiga, isbeddelka waddooyinka, iyo jahwareerka ka dhashay nidaamka gaadiidka ee barnaamijka cusub ee kindergarten-ka ee sannad-dugsiyeedka 2026-27.

Degmada ayaa sannadkan bilowday barnaamij lacag-la’aan ah oo maalin oo dhan ah oo loogu talagalay kindergarten-ka, kaas oo lagu qabto xarunta cusub ee Pickerington Kindergarten Center, oo markii hore ahayd dhismaha Diley Middle School. Nidaamkan cusub ee gaadiidka, ardayda u qalanta baabuurta waxay marka hore raacaan baabuurka xaafadda iyagoo tagaya dugsi hoose oo loo cayamay—sida Heritage Elementary ama Violet Elementary—halkaas oo shaqaaluhu ay ugu hagayaan baabuurta shuttle-ka ah ee u socda xarunta kindergarten-ka. Nidaamkaas mid ka mid ah ayaa loo adeegsadaa galabtidii marka ardayda guriga loo celinayo.

Maalmihii ugu horreeyay ee dugsiga, waalidiin badan ayaa ka cawday dib-u-dhac weyn iyo warbixinno is-burinaya. Katie Cleary, oo afar cunug oo ka tirsan degmada ay dugsiyo kala duwan ka dhigtaan, ayaa sheegtay in cunugeeda kindergarten-ka uu guriga soo gaaray 50 daqiiqo oo dib-u-dhac ah maalintii ugu horreysay. Waxay sidoo kale sheegtay in cunugeeda fasalka labaad uu raacay baabuurka inkastoo magaciisu uusan ku qornayn liiska darawalka. Cleary ayaa markii dambe abuurtay sahan waalidiinta u gaar ah si ay xogta ugu gudbiso madaxda degmada.

Waalid kale oo lagu magacaabo Jazzlyn Millberry ayaa sheegtay in shuttle-ka uu cunugeeda siday uu Heritage Elementary gaaray 4:28 p.m. iyadoo la qorsheeyay 3:45 p.m. Millberry waxay tilmaamtay in shaqaaluhu u sheegeen in cunugeedu uusan raaci karin baabuurka xaafadda maadaama uusan lahayn suunka kursiga (seat belt). Shirkadda gaadiidka ee Petermann Transportation ayaa markii dambe u sheegtay in suunka kursiga aan inta badan la bixinin ilaa uu qeyb ka yahay barnaamijka waxbarashada gaarka ah ee ardayga. Sidoo kale, dugsiga Heritage Elementary ayaa 4:35 p.m. waalidiinta fariin dib-u-dhac ah ugu diray app-ka BusRight.

Justin Howell ayaa isna sheegay in markii hore cunugeeda kindergarten-ka ah iyo kan fasalka labaad loo kala asign gareeyay baabuurro iyo istaagyo kala duwan subaxdii iyo galabtiiba, inkastoo ay labaduba ka bilaabanayeen dugsiga Violet Elementary. Degmada ayaa markii dambe saxday gabood-falka ahaa calaamadaynta baabuurta.

Kormeeraha degmada Pickerington Schools, Charles Smialek, ayaa qiray in dhibaatooyin jireen maalmihii ugu horreeyay, oo ay ka mid tahay in ardayda qaarkood ay raaceen baabuurro shuttle ah oo galay waddo makala ah. Smialek wuxuu sheegay in ardaydaas ay mar walba ku jireen ilaalinta shaqaalaha oo dib loogu soo celiyay xarunta kindergarten-ka marka la ogaaday in dugsi kale lagu dhex tuuray. Wuxuu intaa ku daray in waqti ka mid ah ardaydu aynan ahayn kuwo aan la ilaalinin, wuxuuna sheegay inuu fahamsan yahay sababta waalidiintu u berri karaan.

Si loo xalliyo dhibaatadan, degmada ayaa sameysay isbeddelo muhiim ah. Boorsada ardayda kindergarten-ka ayaa meel muuqata loogu xiray calaamad labaad oo muujinaysa baabuurka xaafadda iyo shuttle-ka ee loogu talagalay. Sidoo kale, degmada waxay kordhisay marin-u-helka shaqaalaha ee app-ka BusRight si ay xogta gaadiidka si toos ah ula socdaan shaqaalaha xarunta kindergarten-ka iyo kuwa dugsiyada hoose.

Xigasho: NBC4 Columbus