- Contract talks are to resume in Youngstown this afternoon. The administration insists that ADC-related language cannot be struck from the contract by law; the union disputes this. There’s some weird cryptic talk from the supe about the union wanting to “go… back to old antiquated practices” as well, which union reps deny. Given all this, it remains to be seen if anything can really be settled at this point. Remote learning continues, but it does not appear that parents (and, by extension, their children) are fully bought in to Zoom School 2023 at this point. (WFMJ-TV, Youngstown, 8/30/23)
- Remote learning also returned to Oak Hills and Lockland Local School Districts in suburban Cincy for three days last week. Due to predictions of excessive heat. No idea if those heat indices actually materialized, but Zoom School 2023 definitely did. (Cincinnati Enquirer, 8/28/23)
- I am going to put these two stories together, and leave them here without much comment. I feel like they are thematically linked, and relevant to one another, despite big differences. See what you think. First: A discussion of stressed out students in one Ohio district, along with discussion of possible solutions. (Newark Advocate, 8/29/23) Second: A discussion of the challenges facing Black students in the Dayton area, along with a discussion of possible solutions. (Dayton Daily News, 8/29/23)
- Passions ran high at this week’s meeting of the elected board of Akron City Schools, with a dozen people rising to sing the praises of the I Promise School and the LeBron James Family Foundation. At least one of those said that previous public discussion of objectively very bad academic data from the school amounted to “bullying” and “belittling” of school staff and families. Elected board members pushed back on that characterization. Unfortunately (?) for everyone, a planned report out on additional academic outcome data did not go forward due to illness. (Akron Beacon Journal, 8/29/23)
- Up in Cleveland, officials at Padua Franciscan High School are celebrating receipt of full accreditation from the American International Accreditation Association of Schools and Colleges. I don’t really know what it means, and I don’t think this piece explains it very well (something about Zoom connections and mission trips). But they say it’s a big deal, especially because Padua Franciscan is the first school in the United States to achieve it. And before you ask: Yes, they do accept students with EdChoice Scholarships. There’s a whole page of info about it on their website. (Cleveland.com, 8/30/23) Meanwhile, Bexley High School was ranked the top high school in the state by U.S. News & World Report. The school also cracked the top 200 of schools nationally, coming in at 121. And before you ask: No, they do not allow interdistrict open enrollment or anything. Never have. The only way to get in there is to buy a house. Median sales price over the last 30 days was $525K. Just sayin’. (Columbus Dispatch, 8/29/23)
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