Dear LB Community,As Superintendent, and an educator with 30 years of experience, student safety and the safety of our youth is of paramount importance to me. On March 4, I attended the meeting of the Findlay City Council to express opposition to Ordinance 2025-016, the potential approval of a cannabis dispensary that would be located at the corner of St. Rt 12 and Stanford Parkway near the Western Meadows subdivision-and other locations in Findlay city. I would like to thank President John Harrington for allowing me to address the Council. I spoke boldly on behalf of the children and families of Liberty-Benton Local Schools as well as for the children and families of Findlay City and the larger Hancock County. Typically, Findlay City Council meetings are recorded, but the public commentary portion of this meeting, when I and other spoke in opposition to dispensaries that would sell marijuana for recreational use at our district border, was not recorded. Below is a Cliff Notes version of my commentary to City Council. We know cannabis is a gateway drug, which leads to other things. Medical research suggests 1 in 6 people who start using pot while under 18 will develop an addition according to the Journal of the Missouri Medical Association.Nothing positive for our children and their future can come from adding dispensaries to purchase pot for recreational use. Increasing access to pot for adults will only make the drug more accessible to children, and expose them to the use of it in the home. We know from vaping-older siblings and parents are the main ways students gain access to vapes, cigarettes, and other drugs like marijuana. The vape industry has targeted young people with their product with messaging like it isn't as addictive as cigarettes, and not as dangerous. They create flavors and packaging that are marketed to children. Vape smells like cotton candy, raspberry, cherries, and bubble gum. The same thing will occur at dispensaries. Gummies, edibles, patches, and other less obvious forms of pot will certainly make their way into our schools, and these will not be detected by the vape sensors we have installed in our school. One of the possible dispensary locations is right at the border of Liberty-Benton Local schools at the corner of St. Rt. 12 and Stanford Parkway. Every day our buses travel past that location and students will be picked up and dropped off right across the street. I do not want our students seeing a cannabis dispensary on their way to and from school every day, or being exposed to the culture surrounding it, while walking home from the bus. One of the locations for a cannabis dispensary is within 500 feet of the Western Meadows subdivision, where I lived for 20 years, and where my children grew up playing outside with neighbors. Western Meadows is a great place for families to raise their children, but I am concerned for the safety of our kids, and for the property values of our homes with a dispensary that close. Because of the proximity to I-75, I am concerned about the transiency of outsiders to our district and to the city of Findlay, and the clientele the dispensary will attract from outsiders to our community off of the I-75 corridor.53% of voters in Hancock County (which includes Findlay City) rejected legalizing pot in Ohio. Only 52% of Findlay City residents voted in favor-But this is hardly a mandate of the people on such a divisive issue for our community. I feel my words, and the words of other concerned residents did have some impact with the members of City Council, as they voted to postpone the vote on Ordinance 2025-016 instead of voting to approve the ordinance. The next meeting of the Findlay City Council is on March 18, 2025, and starts at 6:00 p.m. It will be at that meeting the Findlay City Council MUST vote to approve or deny the ordinance, or abstain from voting. Abstaining will have the same impact as a vote to deny the ordinance. City Council meetings are open to the public. LB residents who are within 500 feet of the proposed marijuana dispensary are permitted to speak during the public commentary portion of the meeting and were notified as such recently via a postcard from the City of Findlay. Sincerely, Bruce OtleySuperintendent
Posted Wednesday, March 5, 2025
Currently, our state legislators are preparing a state budget that will determine whether to fairly fund Ohio schools by completing implementation of the Fair School Funding Plan. The Ohio House and Senate took a giant step forward for students and schools by enacting the Fair School Funding Plan in 2021. Phased in over six years, the plan will be fully implemented by fiscal year 2027. The Fair School Funding Plan was developed by school district leaders and expert practitioners. It translates real student needs into concrete resources by accounting for essential education components like appropriate class sizes, student support services, and educational technology. The formula treats all taxpayers fairly based on their community’s ability to raise local funds. The implementation of the Fair School Funding Plan formula represents a move toward the equitable and adequate funding of Ohio’s schools. However, for the plan to be effective and constitutional, there is still work to be done. For the formula to work and provide an equitable and adequate education for Ohio’s children, full implementation must be included in the budget and current base cost inputs from fiscal year 2022 must be updated to provide the funding necessary in an environment of high inflation. The Governor’s budget, which is now being considered in the House of Representatives, includes the phase-in of years 5 and 6. However, the Governor’s budget does not include an update to base costs, which means that districts would lose money because the funding formula would not account for inflationary increases in base costs. Based on current simulations from the Governor’s budget proposal, Liberty-Benton is projected to lose $212,943 in state funding for the 2025-2026 school year and $237,680 for the 2026-2027 school year.. It is often said that what we value, we are willing to fund. As our legislators begin discussions of priorities for the biennium budget, we urge you to personally speak to our State Representatives about the importance and urgency of investing in Ohio's children. Legislators representing our school district:Representative Ty D. MathewsPhone: 614-466-3819Email: [email protected]Legislative Aide to Mathews: Reed Neal, [email protected] Senator Rob McColleyPhone: 614-466-8150Email: [email protected]Legislative Aide to McColley: Marcella Perretti, [email protected] We sincerely appreciate our community’s continued support in maintaining a strong financial foundation for student success.Sincerely,Lisa DobbinsTreasurer
Posted Monday, March 3, 2025
We are excited to share some news that demonstrates our commitment to providing the best opportunities to our student-athletes. The Northern Lakes League has formally invited Liberty-Benton to join the NLL. The NLL is structured into two divisions, the larger Buckeye Division and the smaller Cardinal Division, based on total enrollment numbers. After thoughtful consideration and extensive discussions, Liberty-Benton Local Schools will be joining the smaller Cardinal Division of the Northern Lakes League (NLL) starting in the 2026-2027 school year. The Northern Lakes League, which is expanding to include Liberty-Benton, features two divisions based on enrollment: The larger Buckeye Division, and the smaller Cardinal Division. Currently the divisions are as follows: Buckeye: Anthony Wayne, Findlay, Northview, Perrysburg, Whitmer (exception in football which also includes Springfield) Cardinal: Bowling Green, Napoleon, Clay, Fremont Ross, Southview, and Springfield for all sports except football. For many years, Liberty-Benton has been proud to be part of the Blanchard Valley Conference (BVC). However, as our district has grown, we have been actively exploring options for a new athletic conference that better aligns with our current needs and goals. Our focus has been on finding a conference that: Aligns with common values of community, competitiveness, and sportsmanshipOffers an appropriate level of competitionLimits travel times to reasonable distances for league-level competition For the last three years, Liberty-Benton has been searching for a new athletics home that best fits our values and vision for the future. We are thrilled to have been invited to join the Northern Lakes League (NLL), an organization that shares our values and vision. Liberty-Benton has competed with many NLL opponents across multiple sports in non-conference competition over the past few years. We look forward to building on our strong tradition of excellence in athletics while creating new traditions within the NLL. Although we will miss the camaraderie and history we have shared with the BVC, we are excited about the opportunities this new chapter brings. Thank you for your continued support of Liberty-Benton Athletics as we remain committed to fostering opportunities that help our students excel in every arena—both in sports and in life. Sincerely, Bruce OtleySuperintendent
Posted Monday, January 27, 2025
Dear LB Community,As we close out 2024, and look forward to 2025, I am reminded of how blessed we are to have new facilities on a single campus. Construction continues on our new 15 bay transportation and maintenance facility, and thanks to the generous donation of 1958 LB graduate Mary Danchuck Cooley, and the amazing support of businesses, athletic boosters, and donors in our community, our turfed softball diamond renovation will be ready for spring play. It has been said, that a people who forgets their past, has no future. With that in mind, here is a recap of the measures we’ve taken to preserve our proud LB heritage.In May of 2023 we held an open house at our old school to allow the public to take one more stroll down memory lane before saying goodbyeThe dedication plaque from the 1921 building was preserved and is now displayed near the office of the new prek-8 buildingThe dedication plaque from the 1976 building was preserved and is now displayed in the current high school south vestibule (athletics entrance)In March of 2024, bricks from the original 1921 building were given to all LB employees and made available to our communityA portion of the 1959 gymnasium floor was preserved and is proudly displayed in our current high school gymnasium, Steve Williman CourtAs you drive past our campus, you have probably noticed the new brick wall just off County Road 9. This wall is the final preservation project from our old campus. When the building was demolished in 2023, the original badging that once crowned the old school was carefully removed and preserved, along with bricks from the structure. These items now form this commemorative wall, honoring the legacy of the original school. A bronze plaque will be added to the wall, telling the complete history of our district so that future generations of Eagles will have a tangible reminder of our LB heritage. With a firm grip on our past, and a clear vision for the future, we will work diligently in 2025 to continue to build on our proud Eagle legacy.Sincerely, Bruce OtleySuperintendent
Posted Monday, December 23, 2024
Fall is my absolute favorite time of the year! Cooler mornings, moderate afternoons, and the beautiful foliage on the trees mean we are well into the 24-25 school year. As we reach the completion of the first grading period, much has already been accomplished! Below are just a few of the highlights.As a district, we celebrated a 5 Star Rating on the 2023-2024 state report cardA beautiful new band trailer was purchased, with a full decorative wrap split between the band boosters and the districtLiberty-Benton hosted approximately 600 teachers for a county wide professional development day October 14, 2024A POW/MIA stadium chair was dedicated at our Military Appreciation Night at our football game vs. Arcadia on October 15, 2024The elementary and middle school were host to approximately 1,200 very special guests for Grandparents’ Day October 21, 2024The Board of Education recognized and celebrated with 22 students that scored a perfect 100% on their state achievement tests October 23, 2024Liberty-Benton High School was again named a Purple Star school, and received special recognition at the Ohio School Board Association Northwest Regional Meeting on October 24, 2024High School English teacher Amy Teders, and Kindergarten teacher Heagan Sparling , were recognized as Rotary Golden Apple finalistsOur softball diamond underwent major renovations in another successful joint district/Athletics Capital Campaign project. The entire diamond was shifted to the south to allow for the addition of a high-tension netting system and for better fan viewing. The entire field was resurfaced with field turf. All new fencing and new concrete work will complete the project and the diamond will be ready for play in the spring.The new transportation/maintenance garage project is well under way. All site work is completed including pouring footers, and setting foundation walls. The heavy steel superstructure has been erected. In Athletics:BVC Champions: FootballBVC Champions: Boys Cross Country-Team State QualifierNCOSA Champions: Girls SoccerNCOSA Champions: Boys Soccer-still in post season competition at districtsWe’ve had a fantastic, memory filled first quarter, and I anticipate our students will continue to achieve great things as the school year unfolds. Looking ahead, parent/teacher conferences are just around the corner and are scheduled for:November 21, 5-8 pmNovember 25, Noon-8 pmNovember 26, 8 am-noon Fly Higher! Bruce OtleySuperintendentLiberty-Benton Local Schools
Posted Wednesday, October 30, 2024
I am pleased to share Liberty-Benton Local Schools earned the highest rating, a five-star rating, on the 2023-2024 state report card. This means as a district, Liberty-Benton significantly exceeds the standards set forth by the Ohio Department of Education and Workforce. Only 68 of 606 school districts in the state of Ohio earned a 5-star rating for the 23-24 school year, placing Liberty-Benton Local Schools in the top 11% of all school districts in the state of Ohio. The grade card is comprised of 5 areas:Achievement: A measurement of student academic achievement on the state achievement testsProgress: A measurement of growth students are making based on past performance on state achievement testsGap Closing: Measures the reduction on educational gaps for students in subgroupsGraduation: Measures the four- and five-year graduation rate of our studentsEarly Literacy: Measures reading improvement and proficiency in grade 3You can view the district report card here: Liberty-Benton District Report CardI would like to congratulate our students, parents, teachers, and administrative team for an outstanding effort in accomplishing another excellent report card. These results do not happen by accident. As a Leader in Me school, we begin with the end in mind and deliver instruction with a focus on developing:Positive CharacterCritical ThinkingResilienceEmotional IntelligenceLeadershipServiceMoving forward with the 2024-2025 school year, we believe continual improvement is a process and will be looking for the little things that make big differences.Congratulations again! Let’s fly even higher in 2024-2025! Sincerely, Bruce OtleySuperintendent
Posted Tuesday, September 17, 2024