Ohio residents ask about potential high school closure; question to be on April 1 ballot

Voters in the Ohio Community High School District 505 in Bureau County will be deciding the fate of their high school come April 1, and residents asked questions and shared their thoughts during a hearing Tuesday.

About 40 residents, staff and teachers met in Ohio Community High School’s auditorium for a question-and-answer deactivation hearing.

If passed, Ohio taxpayers will pay the costs associated with sending students to either of the two other high schools, including tuition to reimburse Amboy and Bureau Valley and the cost to bus students.

Currently, Ohio Community High School serves 20 students. Amboy High has 209 students, and Bureau Valley is home to 319. Graduation requirements are similar for all three.

The referendum will state: “Shall the Board of Education of Ohio Community High School District No. 505, Bureau and Lee County, Illinois, be authorized to deactivate the Ohio High School facility and to send pupils in Ohio High School to Amboy Community Unit District #272 and/or Bureau Valley Community Unit District #340?”

Regardless of the vote, the board will remain active to serve the K-8 elementary school.

District 505 board President Harold Albrecht opened the meeting telling attendees they were given three minutes to voice their concerns, with the hearing being limited to 30 minutes.

Albrecht said after the time had expired that he and District 505 Superintendent Jennifer Hamilton would be responsive to questions, but the board would not answer questions during the hearing. He also reminded residents about the two informational sheets provided on the school’s website and the copies available.

Multiple residents voiced their concerns about the lack of public awareness surrounding the potential deactivation.

“There were a number of scheduled board meetings throughout the year where it was on the agenda,” Hamilton said. “We had conversations throughout the year. I believe it was early summer where we had a community meeting … so it’s been in the newspaper … on posted agendas.”

Don River, an Ohio resident, asked about the transportation of students if the referendum passed in regard to the shortage of bus drivers.

“We’re looking at having to add more bus drivers to Ohio,” he said. “What’s the plan to address this?”

Hamilton said a lot of the transportation concerns depend on whether the community chooses to deactivate and where the families and students decide to attend.

“There is a skeleton plan,” she said. “We do have the ability to transport. … I’m not prepared to roll that out because it’s going to depend on the vote.”

Other residents said they were concerned about transfer credits. Ohio requires students to have completed 24 credits for graduation, while Amboy and Bureau Valley both require 28.

Hamilton said students who have passed the necessary coursework would be able to graduate on time with either school.

She said the board has spoken with both schools and, as part of the negotiation, if the referendum passes, teachers will be guaranteed a job with tenure at either school.

The next scheduled public hearing is at 6:30 p.m. Tuesday, March 18, at Ohio Community High School.

The two informational packets are available online at ohiocommunityschooldistricts.com under high school deactivation Q&A and H.S. Informational Document.

Anyone with questions can call Ohio Community High School at 815-376-4414.