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Hard work pays off for Valley school
By Denise Dick
By DENISE DICK
youngstowN
Diligence and teamwork contributed to Youngstown Community School’s climbing three notches to an “excellent” designation on the latest state report card.
The school was designated in academic watch on last year’s report card.
“It was hard, hard work,” said Sister Mary Dunn, school principal.
The public community school includes 322 children in kindergarten through sixth grade, all of whom live in the city.
“The kids are excellent because of the teachers.” Sister Mary said.
Sister Jerome Corcoran is executive director of Millcreek Children’s Center and Youngstown Community School.
Chuck George is the president of the YCS board, and Ed Muransky is president of the board for both the school and center.
George said the “excellent” designation is something teachers, staff, students and administrators worked hard to achieve, and everyone is proud of the accomplishment.
It was the only Mahoning Valley community school, also known as a charter school, to earn the rating.
Jackie Kopper, a sixth-grade teacher at the school, said the efforts also involved some changes to the school session.
“We went to 90-minute blocks in reading and math,” she said. “It allows more time for instruction.”
Second-grade teacher Gina Galich said grade-level meetings were conducted regularly to allow teachers to review data and develop strategies to help children.
Students are schooled in the four A’s — attitude, attendance, academics and appearance.
YCS’s demographics show that 87 percent of students are eligible for free and reduced lunches; 98 percent are black, and 14 percent have special needs.
News of the high marks reached the students, too, who celebrated with a cake.
“It was amazing,” said sixth-grader Taylor Javey, 11. “We studied. We did homework every night and did practice tests.”
Fellow sixth-graders Mariah Colon, Xavier Felder and Antonio Walter, all 12, also were pleased to learn about the designation.
“I was so happy,” Xavier said.
Muransky said the excellent rating shows that all children can achieve.
“These are inner-city kids,” he said. “It shows that if you give a little hug, a lot of education, a lot of love, encouragement and some discipline what can happen. We know we have made a difference.”
Poor children who live in an inner city aren’t any different from children anywhere else, he said.
The board hopes to expand the school to include higher grades, too, but that will take a significant fund-raising campaign.
Joann Knuth, board vice president, said the school helps children who need help, providing clothing when needed or referring families to other agencies for assistance.
Sister Mary credited a higher power.
“I give credit to the good Lord,” she said.
“We cooperated. They say one person plants the seeds, another waters it, and God makes it grow. The children are the seeds. We at the school water them, and God makes them grow.”