Winter 2015
District Hosts First Teaching and Learning Workshop for Parents Lake Orion Community Schools hosted its first Teaching and Learning K-8 Parent Workshop in October, designed to provide people with an in-depth look at several educational initiatives underway at both the elementary and middle school levels. A total of 35 parents participated in the inaugural half-day event at Scripps Middle School, hosted by the Teaching and Learning Department. The morning was split into three segments, with a number of breakout sessions. Participants could choose from several subjects, including multiple sessions on the district’s new K-5 and middle school math programs, new language arts instruction at the elementary and middle school levels, and the Words Their Way phonics, vocabulary and spelling program.
35 parents attended the workshop.
Other sessions focused on the district’s special education program, the Olweus Bullying Prevention Program and parenting in the digital age. In addition, there was a session on Lake Orion’s award-winning kindergarten/first grade early intervention reading initiative.
“Education is changing and this workshop allowed us to provide parents with a deeper look at what is taking place, what the district’s big initiatives have been and why we’re excited about them,” said Assistant Superintendent Heidi Mercer. See Parent Workshop, Page 3
Multiple sessions were offered.
District Refinancing Block of School Bonds in 2015, Saving Taxpayers Taking advantage of a favorable interest rate environment, Lake Orion Community Schools is in the process of refunding a block of existing bond debt issued in 2005 and worth $28.3 million. Lake Orion’s Board of Education approved the transaction earlier this fall. Taxpayers will see a total savings of about $3.6 million as a result of this transaction. This includes direct savings of $2.3 million and a cost avoidance of about $1.3 million
that the district would have had to borrow Lake Orion Community Schools completed from the state’s School Bond Loan Fund to a similar bond refunding in 2012. At that repay parts of the earlier bond. time, the district refunded $25.4 million in existing bond principal, saving district “This process is essentially like refinancing taxpayers more than $6 million in future a residential mortgage,” said John debt service tax levies. Fitzgerald, Assistant Superintendent of Finance and Business. “The current market The district’s total outstanding voted and interest rate environment is good relative school bond loan fund debt is to our older bonds which enables us to $153,506,117. More than $58 million of save our district taxpayers money.” bond principal and interest will be paid off by June 2018.
Winter Weather
Girls Golf
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Middle School Concept Page 10