Dinner planned for progress report

The district is trying to improve test scores to overcome an 'academic emergency' rating.
By HAROLD GWIN
VINDICATOR EDUCATION WRITER
YOUNGSTOWN -- The community will find out just how well the Youngstown city school district is performing on its plan to boost academic achievement at a District Report-Out Dinner next month.
Dr. Wendy Webb, superintendent, will present her yearly report on the district's continuous improvement plan, and the Youngstown City Schools Urban Congress, a body formed to oversee implementation of that plan, will give its review on the status of meeting plan objectives.
The dinner, set for 6:30 p.m. Nov. 11 at The Maronite Center, also will serve as a community recognition event, Webb said.
Each of the district's schools will present nominees for the most involved parents in their buildings, and various community partners will also be recognized, she said.
The focus will be on building relationships and programs to interest and benefit pupils, Webb said.
Created in 2000
The school district created the continuous improvement plan in 2000 as a blueprint to move the district out of its "academic emergency" rating under the Ohio Report Card System, which judges a district's academic performance based on standardized tests taken by its pupils.
The plan was designed to move the district out of academic emergency by 2006.
The district did advance in the ratings one step to "academic watch" but dropped back to emergency status again this year.
The Urban Congress is made up of a variety of education, business, social service and other community stakeholders who are committed to helping the district deal with various issues it must deal with to move forward.
Tickets for the dinner are $25, and reservations must be made through the superintendent's office at (330) 744-6918 by Thursday.
Increase the Peace
Webb also is encouraging public involvement with the Increase the Peace effort designed to promote safe schools and community in Youngstown. The effort grew out of a recent increase in violence in the city.
It will take a complete community effort to make the schools safe and the children feel safe, Webb said.
The Increase the Peace Committee is made up of churches, community groups, the Mahoning County Juvenile Justice Department, Youngstown police, Youngstown State University and others from around the city who are dedicated to providing a safe and welcome atmosphere for pupils and adults.
The committee will form a master plan coordinating the efforts of groups already working on the problem and intends to enlist the help of concerned parents from each school, she said.