Ironton City Schools is the last local district to receive the new school nod from the Ohio School Facilities Commission.

Thursday, September 30, 1999

Ironton City Schools is the last local district to receive the new school nod from the Ohio School Facilities Commission.

If funding continues along its present path, Ironton’s 132 rank will net the district construction dollars by 2001.

And we say it’s about time.

For years, city buildings have continued to age and deteriorate and classrooms have become crowded, even though the district pumps money into remodelings and refurbishment during most every budget cycle.

As superintendent Steve Kingery has said, the school system has made itself look nice, but deficiencies still exist.

If state legislators maintain the school construction budget, board leaders could start a levy campaign for fall 2001.

If the levy is successful, as others in Lawrence County have been, then it will ensure that the best school buildings for thousands of future Ironton students get built.

There may be some tough decisions about locations, or whether the district remodel an individual building, or how to reorganize grades if necessary.

The school system will seek public input about those issues. In fact, it is forming committees to do just that right now.

But it will take a public dedicated to their children, and future children, to make the entire project succeed.

If you have a concern, air it.

If you have an idea, share it.

No question is silly and no answer is always the right one.

Only by coming together will our efforts meet the primary goal – providing a quality education for every Ironton child by building an environment that is safe, state-of-the-art, clean and functional.