Eagle Heights Academy has made great strides in comparatively short time

Eagle Heights Academy has made great strides in comparatively short time
EDITOR:
I am writing to you in response to your front page Aug. 16 article titled "Soaring Higher." I'm sure The Vindicator and Mr. Cole pride themselves on accurate and unbiased stories. As head administrator/principal of Eagle Heights Academy from its infancy up until June 30, 2001, I take great pride in the successes and achievements that my staff, students and parents have accomplished in only three short years. Starting a school of more than 600 students from scratch truly took the hand and calling of God for its creation. My decision along with many of my staff to leave also took that same inspiration.
As reported in the article, Jim Ritter, a consultant with the Ohio Department of Education, stated that his site visits (May 2001) had shown Eagle Heights Academy, "... doing from what we can see, very well." I'm looking forward to hearing about his future (May 2002) site visit.
Also reported in the article was that only 2 percent of the 4th graders passed all parts of the test. In March 2001, the truth is that not only did 8 percent pass all parts, but also even 4 percent of the 3rd graders passed the 4th grade reading section. This means that this year's 4th grade is on target to break passing records for Eagle Heights.
The truth is also that 18 percent of the 4th graders passed the science part and 15 percent passed the math part. All that after only three years. That's comparable to or better than most urban schools.
Our goal is to have the kindergarten class in 1998 be proficient by the time they reach 4th grade (2002). According to the off-grade Ohio Proficiency Test scores, we are on track to reach that goal.
Rome wasn't built in a year. Low scores didn't develop overnight and won't improve overnight. Alex Murphy's comments that those scores must go up and that, "We will do much better than that in the years ahead" must be comforting to all charter school proponents. He and his new staff must also be comforted to know that the table has been set, the bases are loaded and he's the clean-up hitter.
JIM LaRICCIA
Youngstown
X The writer, the former principal at Eagle Heights Academy, is now principal of Canal Fulton Elementary School in the Northwest Local School District.
Gas companies back to manipulating prices
EDITOR:
Well, folks, it's happened again. Have you noticed? The gas prices went from $1.25 to $1.66. This happened between morning and late afternoon. Why? How can companies juggle the prices like they do? Better yet, why doesn't the government do something to control this? Within just a few blocks the price of a gallon at Shell stations were $1.259 and $1.669. Why such a difference -- same company -- same neighborhood?
The oil companies can do this because we allow them to raise the prices without any complaints. How do we stop it? The same way we did before when the price was nearing $2 a gallon? Stop buying. I mean buy only what's necessary. Don't take those extra rides on the weekends. Don't take two cars when one will do. If the gas companies get a few weeks of this, the price will come down.
Every holiday or special weekend, the price goes up. This is not right.
KEN FIRM
Campbell