- Marion journalist Michelle Rotuno-Johnson finished her week back in third grade, but seemed only to get into the nuts and bolts of Common Core implementation on the last day. You can check out all the entries from the week now. NOTE: She, like many others, seems a bit obsessed with the amount of tests being taken by her third grade buddies. But while she does note that MAPS testing is optional for schools, she should also have spelled out that the OAA/PARCC double-shot is a one-year-only consequence of the transition to PARCC. And that PARCC doesn’t count this time around. (Marion Star)
- I’m going to go out on a limb to predict that the four-district consolidated high school idea kicking around Geauga County at the moment will eventually go down the same path to neglectful oblivion as the two-district merger mooted earlier this year. But not until after some fireworks. (Willoughby News Herald)
- Former state school board member and current Dayton City Commissioner Jeff Mims took his Men of Color initiative into Dayton City Schools this week. 100 volunteers visited schools to help provide role models to high school students and to inspire young men toward future careers. Sounds fantastic, but don’t forget charter schools, guys. (Dayton Daily News)
- Here is a story about just the kind of student that the Men of Color initiative is trying to inspire, but I think Corey Spears has already found some serious motivation within himself, after a young life that would have (and has) undone many a promising student. He entered his senior year at Lima Alternative School academically behind and ended up graduating early. How? “We gave him a pathway,” says Lima Alternative’s principal, “but he did it all on his own.” And how. (Lima News)
- All of Columbus City Schools’ high schools were on lockdown for over an hour yesterday due to an anonymous shooting threat turned in to suburban Westerville police. Indeed, the person who issued the threat was eventually found to be a Westervillian. Can you guess how many Westerville high schools were on lockdown yesterday? (Columbus Dispatch)
