FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
January 5, 2021
Gary, IN – In November 2020, thanks to the support of Gary residents, the Gary Community School Corporation, won a community-based school referendum. The backing from community stakeholders means more opportunities and support for students and the first raise for Gary teachers in more than a decade.
With the referendum passed, GCSC is fulfilling its commitment to create a Referendum Ambassador Committee. Committee members will be Gary residents, and the committee will report to the public on how referendum revenue is collected and spent. The volunteer committee will include representatives from the local business community, the faith-based community, elected officials, and labor groups, as well as students and parents and caregivers. The committee will be created in advance of the first referendum funds being received in June 2021.
Expectations for Referendum Ambassadors are as follows:
– There will be up to 24 Referendum Ambassadors.
– The majority of Referendum Ambassadors must be Gary residents.
– Referendum Ambassadors will meet two times per year (in person or remotely) to monitor and report to the public on referendum revenue collected and how the money is being spent.
– The GCSC Manager and the Chief Financial Officer will lead Ambassador meetings.
– Applicants selected as Referendum Ambassadors may serve for up to eight years.
Referendum Ambassadors must agree to the committee objectives:
– Be a productive member and work as a team
– Commit to two meetings a year possibly remotely
– Learn and understand basic Indiana school finance principles
– Provide feedback to GCSC
– Review data provided by GCSC
– Share accurate information with the Gary and NWI community
The Referendum Ambassador Committee application is located on the district’s website at garyschools.org. The deadline for application submission is February 1, 2021.
All media inquiries should be directed to
Chelsea Whittington at cwhittington@garycsc.k12.in.us.