Do You Support North Canton's Upcoming School Levy?

North Canton City Schools are encouraging voters to approve a 2.4-mill permanent improvement levy on May 7. How will you vote?

History Revealed; New B.A.M.; and Suspected Kidnapper Caught: Week in Review

Catch up on a week's worth of North Canton news with our Week in Review update.

1. Canton kidnapping: The North Canton Police Department arrested a suspect who was allegedly involved in a violent carjacking of three teens in Canton. 2. North Canton customers will soon have some new restaurant and retail choices to choose from. Get the latest details here. 3. Check out the top-rated food establishments in North Canton, according to Yelp! reviews. Do you agree? 4. School officials have laid out their arguments on a proposed 2.4-mill ongoing permanent improvement levy. Will you vote for it? 5. Patch Local Editor Morgan Day bids farewell to North Canton Patch readers.  6. Zepp's Pizza aims to put a fun, legal spin on one of the city's most contentious issues. Click here for more details on the upcoming graffiti …

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Police Chief Offers In-Depth Look at School Security

North Canton Police Chief Stephan Wilder explains how security has been retooled to best protect the school district's students and staff from worst-case scenarios.

In this Letter to the Editor, North Canton Police Chief Stephan Wilder discusses violence prevention, the complexity of countering lethal threats and efforts taken to improve security within the city's school system. Superintendent Michael Hartenstein also brought up the issue during a press conference Monday, saying the district needs to pass a 2.4-mill continuing permanent improvement levy to pay for roughly $500,000 in additional security improvements.  John: (Superintendent) Hartenstein, Fire Chief John Bacon, myself and the police department school resource officers have met at various times to discuss school safety and security issues. Each of our district’s schools has its own set of variables when addressing security concerns. …

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Superintendent Outlines Need for New Levy (VIDEO)

North Canton City Schools Superintendent Michael Hartenstein held a small press conference Monday to discuss Issue 18, the district's proposed 2.4-mill levy.

On May 7, voters will cast ballots on a proposed 2.4-mill permanent improvement levy that would generate roughly $1.5 million per year for the North Canton City Schools district.  If Issue 18 passes, the new revenue would be evenly spent on bolstering security, replacing an aging fleet of buses and catching up on overdue building maintenance, said North Canton schools Superintendent Michael Hartenstein during a small press conference on Monday.  Funds would also be used to update the school system's high volume of obsolete classroom computers and outdated learning materials, he said. By law, none of the revenue would fund the salaries of teachers, administrators or school staff. Hartenstein said the need for the new levy stems from the …

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Issue 18: North Canton City Schools Permanent Improvement Levy

If Issue 18 passes, it would generate $1.5 million per year.

On May 7, voters will cast ballots on a proposed 2.4-mill permanent improvement levy that would generate roughly $1.5 million per year for the North Canton City Schools district.  If Issue 18 passes, the new revenue would be evenly spent on bolstering security, replacing an aging fleet of buses and catching up on overdue building maintenance, according to North Canton schools Superintendent Michael Hartenstein.  Funds would also be used to update the school system's high volume of obsolete classroom computers and outdated learning materials. By law, none of the revenue would fund the salaries of teachers, administrators or school staff. Issue 18 would cost homeowners $73.68 for every $100,000 in property valuation; and since it's a …

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How Much Money Does North Canton School District Receive Each Year?

Take a look at the most recent revenue numbers for school districts across the state. If you're viewing this on your mobile device, switch to desktop version.

Curious how much money your local school district receives each year and how that might compare to other nearby districts? Patch has put together a searchable database to help you find out. The information in the searchable database above can be found on the Ohio Department of Education’s website. The revenue amounts listed are for the 2010-2011 school year, the most recent numbers available. These numbers have likely changed since then — and could change again in the next state budget — so this is just for comparison. To see revenue for North Canton City Schools or another district for 2010-2011, type in all or part of the district name above. (If there are multiple districts with the same name, check the Ohio Department of Education’s …

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Resignations Slated for Monday's School Board Meeting

The next North Canton City School meeting is scheduled for Monday March 18.

Click here to preview Monday's agenda before the meeting begins at the Hoover High School Media Center at 6 p.m. What item on the agenda interests you most this week?

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Viking Victory Run Returns to Raise Money for North Canton Schools

The event, now in its second year, takes place April 28 and raises money for North Canton Elementary School PTO and PTA organizations

Viking Victory Run organizers are on their marks and ready to kick off another successful race next month. The 5k and kids 1-mile Kids Fun Run event, now in their second year, take place April 28 and aim to raise money for the North Canton Elementary School PTO and PTA organizations. In its first year, the event raised more than $17,000, and organizer Todd Davy said they're ready to do it bigger and better than before. "We're shooting for $20,000 this year," Davy said. "I think we're going to beat it." If race sponsorships are any sign, he might be right. The event has already brought in $4,000 in sponsorships compared to this time last year. The first event in 2012 came about as school officials and community members worked to realign …

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District Hires Part-Time PR Person as 'Second Set of Hands'

The school board approved the hiring of Jamie Smart to work no more than 110 hours doing public relations and communications projects this year

The North Canton City School Board recently signed off on a public relations hire to provide some "extra hands" within the district. According to the school board's most recent agenda, the hiring of Jamie Smart as a public relations/communications consultant for no more than 110 hours was up for approval. Superintendent Michael Hartenstein said the board approved Smart's position, and she will now work five hours a week in the district's central office. "It’s five hours a week, but it’s just a second set of hands here," Hartenstein said. “We’re fairly thin here in the central office.” "We needed some help with new initiatives, and we wanted to make sure we are communicating as quickly and cleanly and efficiently as we can." He said Smart …

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School District Moves Forward With Proposed Safety Measures

What actions have school administrators taken since meeting with police and fire officials as well as community members in January?

A month and a half has passed since North Canton administrators met with police and fire officials as well as parents and other community members to discuss school safety and security. At that January town hall meeting inside Hoover Hall, a few safety suggestions rose to the top of the pile: lockdown training for students and teachers, the use of a radio system to better communicate throughout the buildings (and with police) during crises, and more intensive measures when allowing visitors into the school buildings. North Canton City Schools joined other schools across the country in identifying areas of concern in light of the Newtown, CT, school shootings that left 27 people dead in December. So, where does that all stand now in North …

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