On behalf of myself and members of the James A. Garfield Board of Education, we would like to thank the community members of Freedom, Garrettsville, Hiram Township, Nelson and Charlestown for your support in the passage of Issue 8. Thank you for securing and stabilizing the future of our schools. We now have a clear path to build on the excellent schools that you have so graciously helped create for our students, staff and administrators.
Thank you to all of the volunteers/levy committee members for the unending support that you have given to the students, staff, administrators and community during these past 11 months. We commend you for the time that you gave to our schools and appreciate the time you sacrificed away from your families to understand and support Issue 8.
Thank you to those that voted “Yes” for pledging your support on November 6th. We appreciate your commitment at the ballot box. We realize that this was a very tough decision for some and we will continue to foster a trusting, transparent, caring and community minded relationship in the years to come. We will not let you down.
Thank you to those who questioned the reasons and voiced concerns, those who wanted to learn and understand the information as it was communicated from the start in December, 2017. We cannot tell you the importance of receiving and answering the “tough” questions as they arose.
You can only clearly communicate the information effectively when you can answer and understand all of the questions with clarity. Thanks for your persistence for wanting to understand all of the information.
Thank you to the “No” voters. We understand your position and we will work diligently to continue to “do what’s best for kids” along with striving to improve our relationship with all of you. We understood your concerns and your stance on Issue 8 and we respect your decision as well. We are eager to prove the importance, need and value of the passage of this Issue in the coming years. “No” votes help to avoid an atmosphere of complacency and we will continue to stay “on our toes” to prove we are deserving stewards of our taxpayers dollars.
Thank you to our Staff, both the Educators and all of our Support Staff, Volunteers, Administrators, Treasurer and Superintendent. Your continual daily efforts and that extra care you show our students and community members are why we are such a successful school district. We are successful with a modest budget and all of you deserve our thanks.
We are proud to say we have the best team!
Sincerely,
Guy V. Pietra
President
James A. Garfield
Board of Education
