MADISON TOWNSHIP — Madison’s elementary students may get a head start on summer break.
Superintendent Rob Peterson said he wants to excuse students from the last three days of the 2025-2026 school year to give teachers time to pack up their classrooms and prepare for the district’s reconfiguration.
The school board recently voted to close Mifflin Elementary School at the end of the 2025-2026 school year.
Starting next fall, all of the district’s preschool through second-grade students will attend Madison South, while Eastview Elementary houses third and fourth graders.
The district’s school board would need to approve the change. Peterson said at a board meeting Wednesday that he’ll bring an official recommendation for a vote next month.
If it’s approved, students in preschool through fourth grade will have their last day of class the Friday before Memorial Day.
It’s not the only change Peterson is proposing at the elementary level.
“One of our highest priorities in this move is to make all students and all staff feel comfortable and welcome in their new building or if they’re staying at their building,” Peterson said.
“As part of that, I’ll be recommending name changes for Madison South and Eastview.”
Peterson didn’t specify when he would ask the board to vote on the matter, but suggested the names Madison Primary School and Madison Intermediate School.
Board votes to put 1.5-percent earned income tax back on the ballot
The school board voted last month to close Mifflin and consolidate the buildings after voters rejected a proposed new levy.
The board voted Wednesday to move forward with another attempt in May.
Just like in November, voters will be asked to approve a 1.5-percent earned income tax for five years.
The board also voted on a resolution to stop collecting a 7.5 mill property tax if the income tax levy passes.
The 7.5 mill property tax was first approved by voters in November 2023 and generates about $2.94 million annually.
The new income tax levy would generate about $6.27 million each year.
One community member voiced opposition to putting the same levy back on the ballot.
Brian McPeek, a Madison graduate with three children in the school system, said he thinks the board should come up with a new strategy.
“I’m not here to oppose the schools. I’m here to support them,” he said. “I believe in them, and I’m a product of them. But that also means we’ve got to be honest when something isn’t working.”
“The community wants to vote yes. I want to vote yes. But a successful levy has to be fair,” he added.
McPeek argued the proposed levy would unfairly burden young, working families.
“The levy didn’t fail because the community doesn’t care about education. It failed because it didn’t bring the whole community with it,” he said.
“It placed the burden on only earned income, only on people who get up every day and go to work, leaving investment income, rental income, retirement income and other sources of income untouched.”
Amid RIF, Peterson said he hopes to have teacher assignments done in February
The request comes amid a financially difficult period for the district. School officials say flat funding from the state and increasing costs are all straining Madison’s operating budget.
“Our state legislature is not helping public school districts. They are actually actively hurting them,” board member Tim Wigton said. “I think they want to basically privatize schools and thats where they’re headed.”
Madison has been hit with unexpectedly high employee health insurance costs. The district also saw its bill for 2026 increase by nearly 18 percent.
Richland County Commissioners voted in October to double the current state-funded 2.5 percent owner-occupancy credits for homeowners starting next year. The property tax relief measure that will reduce its annual revenue by more than $168,000 — which Stevens said is enough to employ about 1.5 teachers.
The school board voted last month to reduce the district’s staff by at least 26 positions next school year to trim expenses.
Peterson said hopes to begin the reduction in force process after Christmas break so teachers and staff will know their assignments for next school year as soon as possible.
“We’ve been working very closely with the MLEA — the teachers union — they’ve been very good to work with,” Peterson said.
“It’s a very extensive process and we want to make sure we do it right and fairly for all involved. So hopefully the goal would be in early to mid February to have that process totally completed on the teachers side and hopefully soon thereafter on the classified staff side.”