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Mettee’s work on plan for city schools praised
By Denise Dick
By DENISE DICK
youngstown
Debra Mettee’s work, leading the city schools’ Academic Distress Commission, will provide a model for future distress commissions to follow, says a letter from the state superintendent of public instruction.
Deborah S. Delisle wrote the letter to Donald Williams, Springfield Board of Education president, praising Mettee, who is also the Springfield schools superintendent.
The letter also thanks the school board for supporting Mettee in her role as chairwoman of the city schools distress commission. The five commission members serve without pay.
“For the past six months, she has worked tirelessly on behalf of the children of Youngstown to lead a team of individuals in the design of an Academic Recovery Plan designed to move YCS from academic emergency to continuous improvement for five years,” Delisle said. “As you can imagine, this was no small venture.”
Williams said it’s an honor for a small district such as Springfield to have a superintendent of Mettee’s caliber. Mettee also is an attorney and a nurse.
She also wears many hats in her superintendent job, Williams said.
“We’re thrilled to have her as superintendent with us — she’s been with us a little over 14 years,” he said. “We’re proud of her and what she’s done with our system and what she’s done for the city schools. It’s a lot of work and a lot of dedication from a woman who really believes in education and in helping children.”
The academic-distress commission was established after the city schools were declared in academic emergency on the 2008-09 state report card. It was the only district in the state to earn that lowest designation.
“One of the greatest benefits to her work has been the design of a model for future Academic Distress Commissions to follow,” Delisle wrote. “This will certainly assist the Ohio Department of Education with future work in the complex arena.”
The city schools remained in academic emergency on the state report cards released last month.
Mettee has “brilliantly navigated the uncharted waters by leading the first Academic Distress Commission in our state,” the state superintendent’s letter said. “She assumed the role knowing that there was no precedent set in our state for such work, and she attacked the charge with vision, commitment and courage.”
The commission developed a plan aimed at getting the city district out of academic emergency, and that plan was approved by Delisle in July. The commission will oversee the plan’s implementation.