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Liberty-YSU partnership to benefit students
The YSU student-teaching program will mean college credit for Liberty students.
YOUNGSTOWN — Liberty Local Schools and Youngstown State University have formed a partnership to benefit students on the high school and collegiate levels.
The partnership, known as a Professional Development School, is designed to give future teachers at YSU the classroom experience they need and Liberty students the college credit they want.
YSU student teachers will spend two consecutive semesters in the same Liberty school building, the first in a pre-clinical field experience and the second in a student teacher assignment. Those preparing for a teaching career with younger pupils will be in the same classroom for the full academic year.
Typically, YSU teacher candidates are assigned to a one-semester clinical experience, and then to a second semester of student teaching, usually in a different district.
Twelve YSU students are beginning the yearlong PDS internship.
Jaclyn Lucas, a YSU student in the program, said student teachers spend a great deal of time learning theories in education and want to put those theories into practice.
“I was especially excited about the Liberty partnership because not only would I get to try out some of those theories and ideas, but we are there to work with those students on a long-term basis,” she said.
Liberty Superintendent Mark Lucas said the district also is excited about the aspect of the plan that will allow Liberty students to earn college credits while in high school. He said the collegiate courses will be taught by adjunct teachers already in the schools.
Alison Harmon, associate dean of education at YSU, said the college credit courses taken by students who qualify can be likened to the Youngstown Early College program the university has with Youngstown city schools. She said partnerships with other districts may be forthcoming.
Mark Lucas said the new partnership also will allow Liberty teachers to observe some of the latest teaching theories.
“This program is a win-win across the board,” he said. “This is something I have wanted to do since becoming superintendent at Liberty Schools.”
Gail Saunders-Smith, a YSU assistant professor of teacher education and program liaison, said the Liberty-YSU partnership is the first of its kind in the Mahoning Valley and for YSU. The program, she said, is modeled after similar partnerships across the country.
Philip Ginetti, dean of the College of Education, said the diversity, changing demographics and size of the Liberty school district make it perfect for a partnership with YSU.
“This has been a long time coming. We have been working with the district since the 1990s,” he said. “Forming this partnership is a very important part of what I wanted to accomplish as dean in the college of education.”
jgoodwin@vindy.com