- The entity known as META Solutions, a data and financial services support organization for hundreds of school districts and local governments (aka “The Blob”), will undergo something of a shakeup in the coming months. Board president, CEO, CFO, and assistant CFO all announced retirements or resignations this week. I’m sure this rash of departures has nothing to do with the financial review of The Blob to be undertaken by the Ohio Auditor of State (aka “Yost!”) or the fact that Yost called META a “shadow government”, as we noted on Monday. I can only imagine he meant that in the nicest possible way. (Marion Star, 6/28/16)
- Today is Day One officially on the job for Krish Mohip as CEO of Youngstown City Schools. This brief piece notes that he talked about raising expectations via love, or something like that. (Youngstown Vindicator, 6/29/16) Meanwhile, in the fiddle section, the following was said on the record at Monday’s Youngstown School Board meeting: “This agenda is a failure because this board is a failure.” And this was said BEFORE the board voted unanimously to oppose the fact that the state is reimbursing the district for Mohip’s pay rather than paying him directly themselves. Like the songstress once sang: “It's gonna take a lotta love/To change the way things are.” (Youngstown Vindicator, 6/29/16)
- Speaking of school districts operating under the aegis of an Academic Distress Commission, here are two stories sparked by reports from Lorain’s most recent ADC meeting. First up, the Lorain Colossus (aka their schmancy new high school) will be hosting a community open house in early September. Why so late? So students can get “acclimated” to the new building and will be able to lead tours and tell visitors what they like best. My guess is it will be a tie between “key cards required for every door so we feel safe” and “no metal detectors because the knuckleheads will already know how to bypass them”. (Northern Ohio Morning Journal, 6/28/16) Finally, Lorain’s summer literacy camp seems to be a mixed bag in terms of impact this year. Attendance is up, things like math have been included to “change up” the boring focus on just plain reading, but retest passage rates seem a little low. (Northern Ohio Morning Journal, 6/28/16)
