Unlike last spring, when the Worthington school levy campaign was low-key -- and the operating levy was soundly defeated -- this fall's campaign is highly active.

"We're very excited about everyone getting out there and encouraging friends and neighbors to support Issue 49," said campaign chairwoman Jennifer Economus.

The issue is a 6.9-mill permanent incremental operating levy. If approved, voters will pay 3.9 mills in 2010, with an additional 1.5 mills added in 2011 and 1.5 mills in 2012.

Campaign signs have already gone up in front yards, and last Saturday volunteers distributed literature door-to-door.

"We have hundreds of volunteers," Economus said.

On Sunday, hundreds of supporters gathered on the lawn of Thomas Worthington High School for a Celebration of Excellence, which spotlighted the district's newly acquired "excellent with distinction" rating from the state.

School and city officials spoke, the pep band played, and each school served cake or cookies and showed off what their school has to offer.

This Saturday, there will be an OSU tailgate event at Worthington Kilbourne High School.

But the crux of the campaign is not the big splash, but the one-on-one discussions among friends and neighbors, Economus said.

Last week, an e-mail went out in the community asking volunteers to "adopt" at least nine people who are likely to support the levy, invite them to an event, answer any questions, send them a "dear friend" post card and call them the night before the Nov. 3 election.

"There's a lot at stake," Economus said.

She is the parent of a preschooler and a lobbyist for the Ohio School Boards Association.

She and Melissa Conrath, superintendent of schools, and David Bressman, school board president, planned to make their case at the candidates night on Tuesday.

They planned to emphasize how critical the levy outcome is, with cuts to teaching positions, extracurricular activities, busing and classes on the line.

Without the levy, the district will make $14-million in cuts.

There is no organized opposition to the levy, but John Herrington and Mike Alfred of Educate Worthington are continuing to urge the district to examine the sustainability of its spending patterns. Herrington planned to speak at the candidates night.

He said he planned to tell attendees that sometime in the next 12 months, voters will be wise to approve a levy to prevent major cuts to programs.

However, the district is coming to a point where a choice will have to be made among continuing to approve generous union contracts, making significant cuts to student programs or facing sizeable levies every two or three years, he said.

Despite the teachers union's partial pay raise in 2011, the district continues to project the need for an additional levy in 2012, followed by a third in 2013 or 2014.

"Will 'massive cuts' to student programs be a campaign slogan every two to three years?" Herrington said.