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Student interest in new programs surpasses city schools chief’s goal
By Denise Dick
youngstowN
Interviews and auditions begin next week for students who want to attend the city school district’s new visual and performing arts or Science, Technology, Engineering and Math schools.
Both of those programs will be housed beginning in the fall at Chaney High School. They will serve students in sixth through 12th grades. East High School, which will house 10th through 12th grades, will focus its elective courses on business, education and law. Core curriculum classes will be part of both schools.
Students were to complete interest applications by April 15, indicating their program choice.
Of the applications turned in, 403 showed an interest in visual and performing arts with 266 picking STEM.
“I’m very happy with that — very happy,” said Superintendent Connie Hathorn.
He met the number of students he wanted per grade level, which was 25 in VPA and 25 STEM in both sixth and seventh grades; and 50 per each school for the higher grades.
Students who are juniors at Chaney this year will be able to finish their education at that school.
“We want to start off slow,” Hathorn said. “We still might extend the deadline because we have parents calling and asking if it’s too late for their kids to apply.”
In visual and performing arts, 50 sixth-graders, 43 in seventh, 57 in eighth, 51 in ninth, 118 in 10th, 53 in 11th and 31 in 12th indicated interest on the surveys.
For STEM, 34 sixth-graders, 33 in seventh, 49 in eighth, 40 in ninth, 60 in 10th, 28 in 11th and 22 in 12th said they wanted to attend.
Teaching positions at Chaney and the new academy for eighth- and ninth-graders will be posted next week and interviews for teachers scheduled, the superintendent said.
Lock P. Beachum Sr., school board president, expected more students to express interest in the specialty schools.
“That’s low,” he said.
It’s possible, Beachum said, that some students are selecting a school rather than a program. They want to see what the environment is like at the high schools before deciding where to go.
“The schools are going to be safe — all the schools,” Beachum said. “We’re going to make sure we do whatever we can in the schools so that every child who attends is going to be safe.”