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LISBON -- The Columbiana County Career and Technical Center (CCCTC) board met Tuesday and Superintendent Chuck Adkins took time to praise the school for its four-star rating received when the Ohio Department of Education released its annual report cards for school districts across the state on Thursday. The state scale describes that rating as "exceeding state standards."
"We received four of five stars. We did very well and are pretty happy with that. We looked around the county and saw what comprehensive schools were like and it's very comparable," he said. "Hats off to our home schools that really did a bang up job and all the work staff is doing there."
In the past a letter grade has been issued. This is the first year Ohio schools and districts received overall ratings of 1 to 5 stars in half-star increments. The Career Technical Planning District Report Cards include specific marks for achievement, career and post-secondary readiness, graduation rate and post-program outcomes. The CCCTC received five stars in the graduation-rate component which looks at the percent of students who are successfully finishing high school with a diploma in four or five years, significantly exceeding state standards in graduation rates. The center scored four stars in both career and post-secondary readiness (how well-prepared Ohio's students are for all future opportunities) and post-program outcomes (the proportion of students who are employed, in an apprenticeship, join the military, enter a service program, or are enrolled in postsecondary education or advanced training in the six months after leaving school), exceeding state standards. The CCCTC earned three stars in achievement, which measures the skills and knowledge learned in student's career-technical programs, meeting state standards.
The county home schools who scored four stars or higher were Columbiana (4.5 stars), Crestview (4), Leetonia (4) and Beaver Local (4).
In personnel matters, the board approved several supplemental contracts -- to employ William Oesch and Elizabeth Wright as co-public relations coordinators and Oesch as staff web page manager, Kristen Ours as tobacco-cessation trainer, several adult education instructors and Linda Garwood as a volunteer for the 2023-24 school year.
In addition, the board approved a three-year agreement with the Columbiana County Sheriff's Office for the school resource officer. Adkins said he was pleased with the rate given ($43) to the district and with Deputy Bill McGee, who continues to fill the role.
"Deputy McGee is great. He gets to know all the kids. He is in and out of labs all day long. He's checking all the doors," Adkins said. "He's just a positive influence on our entire student body. He knows the kids by name. He spends time with them. We are very fortunate to have Deputy McGee here with us."
In other matters, the board approved a resolution to make provisional changes to board policies and administrative guidelines and forms to comply with House Bill 33 and the restructuring and naming of the Department of Education and accepted the Practical Nursing and Police Academy Handbooks for 2023-24. The board also accepted a donation of a Ford Escape from Tri State Ford in East Liverpool the Auto Technology Program.
In business items, approval of August 2023 operating bills ($751,348), August 2023 financial statement ($10,113,207) and 2024 appropriation resolution as presented were passed.
selverd@mojonews.com