United Group Insurance

AHSTW is still “AHSTW”

News

March 18th, 2015 by Ric Hanson

After reaching an impasse on what to name a reorganized school district representing AHST and Walnut, school board members decided to stick to their original compromise: AHSTW, a five-letter acronym for Avoca, Hancock, Shelby, Tennant and Walnut that already adorns the Avoca-based district’s secondary school, which educates middle and high school students from Walnut through a grade sharing agreement.

School officials say board members from both districts unanimously accepted AHSTW as the name for a proposed reorganized school district, during a brief, joint session of the AHST and Walnut School District Boards of Education, Tuesday evening, at the Walnut Community School. The vote means the process of collecting signatures for a petition to reorganize the districts into one, can begin.

At least 400 signatures from AHST and 178 signatures from Walnut district patrons are required, in order to advance the petition to the Green Hills Area Education Agency, which would hold a public hearing and approve an election to determine whether the districts will merge.

Jesse Ulrich, the shared superintendent for both AHST and Walnut, said he expects signatures to be collected by April 1st, which would put the district on track to hold an election in September, 2015,  along with the regular school board elections. If voters approve the merger, the districts would reorganize effective July 1st, 2016.

A reorganized AHSTW district would be governed by a seven-member board made up of four members from the existing AHST district, one from the existing Walnut district and two at-large seats, which would initially be split between AHST and Walnut representatives. The school boards would choose among their own members to fill the initial seats, according to the petition.

School officials say all assets and liabilities will be shared as a part of the new district, with AHSTW having a centralized campus, located in Avoca. The goal of reorganization, according to the schools, “Is to create a financially sustainable district to be able to provide a world-class education for the students they serve.”

Questions regarding reorganization, or patrons wishing to sign the petition, may contact Jesse Ulrich, Superintendent of both AHST and Walnut, at 712-343-6364.