- With the dawning of a new school year comes the inevitable stories about transportation woes. Columbus City Schools is instituting a swipe card system on buses this year and some other electronic gizmos to make things smoother. Their version sounds a little more coherent than the Lorain swipe card system we were talking about last week. But if anyone could prove me wrong about that, it’s Columbus City Schools. (WBNS-TV, Columbus, 8/6/19) Speaking of which, Dayton City Schools’ new transit plan for high school students (using city buses and passes rather than yellow school buses) sounds just as complicated as it is expensive. By which I mean a lot. Honestly, since they haven’t had high school busing for many many years in Dayton, I’m betting most families will avoid this and just do whatever they did last year to get to school. Wonder what charter and private and STEM school families will get out of this? (Dayton Daily News, 8/9/19)
- Speaking of the new school year, the first Cleveland recipients of the Say Yes to Education scholarships are heading to college. Here is a nice look at one of those incoming freshmen. (News5, Cleveland, 8/6/19)
- You know, we look so often at troubled and struggling school districts here in the Bites, I thought it might be a nice change of pace to check out the transition issues a new superintendent might face in a cushy, top-performing suburban district gig. Surely there’s something a newb would want to change to make things better even if it’s just a program here or there. Nope. This brief piece seems to indicate it’s just a matter of keeping the sunshine and rainbows flowing. (WTVG-TV, Toledo, 8/5/19)
- But sometimes, the boss says that changes must be made. Case in point: Lakewood City Schools in Cuyahoga County. The supe says that while the three Rs are important, he believes that “student skills that are developed beyond…science, English and math” are even more important. “Content is not enough, proficiency in the content is not enough. We have to go beyond that.” He calls his new plan—developing “lifelong skills” and competencies in things like collaboration, communication, empathy, and growth mindset—“Vision of a Lakewood Graduate”. And he’s selling it hard. Having had a look at the district’s most recent report cards, I personally would dub it “Portrait of a C-Rated School District” myself. Don’t you have to actually reach a goal before you can go beyond that goal? (Cleveland.com, 8/6/19)
- Speaking of the future—and with apologies to the many readers who don’t love this topic—with e-sports come e-sports injuries come e-sports medicine. Leave it to the Cleveland Clinic to spot a growth opportunity. Hey, is there such a thing as e-sports injury lawyers yet? (Cleveland.com, 8/6/19)
- The deadline is tight and, as we are well aware, parliamentary procedures often break down in such situations. But the elected board of Youngstown City Schools voted at a special meeting this week to put a renewal levy on the ballot this November. There is no indication of caveats related to the presence of an Academic Distress Commission, but there are apparently a couple more actions and votes required within the tight timeline. We shall see how it all pans out. (Youngstown Vindicator, 8/5/19)
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