MORGANTOWN – The excess levy for education for Monongalia County Schools goes on the ballot for the May 12 primary.
Before that, however, you can see it front and center on the campus of University High School.
The “Mon County Schools Levy Showcase” will be from 1 to 3 p.m. Sunday at the school on Bakers Ridge.
Look for an afternoon, organizers say, highlighting academic programs and extracurricular activities made possible by the levy.
The measure contributes $35.6 million – or more than 20% of the current operating budget – to district coffers, annually.
UHS Drama and Jazz ensembles, Westwood Middle School Drums and the Suncrest Elementary Drama Club will perform that afternoon.
Gallery exhibits of student artwork from across the district will also be part of the day, along with robotic demonstrations by the South Middle School Technology Students Association and VEX Robotics – a tech group also made up of a cross-section of students from Mon’s schools.
Varsity athletes from Clay-Battelle, Morgantown High and UHS will be there to visually punctuate the other extracurricular activities supported by the levy.
Attendees may also grab a bite from the food truck operated by the county Technical Education Center.
The afternoon is hosted by The Community for Monongalia County Schools, a nonprofit coalition formed to market the levy – which has been a staple of district programming for more than 50 years in Mon.
Citizens here traditionally cast overwhelming votes in favor of the levy, which has been on the books since 1973.
It’s not hard to notice the fruits of that history, said Rebecca Aranda, who co-chairs the community coalition and is mom to children who attend school in the district.
“Our schools are the heartbeat of this community,” she told The Dominion Post previously.
“We see evidence of that all around us in the excellent education statistics, high property values, vibrant arts and afterschool programs,” Aranda continued.
Her fellow committee member (and Mon Schools parent) Bobbie Godbey seconded that.
“It’s a testament to our collective commitment to our students’ and our community’s future,” Godbey said.
“We want to show Mon County the direct impact of their investment – and why renewing the excess levy is critical to keeping our classrooms and our community strong.”
