Demanding more and giving a hand will produce results

There’s a state-mandated aca- demic distress commission overseeing the Youngstown City School District and an obviously unimpressed state superintendent of public instruction, Stan Heffner, over the commission. In many ways and for many reasons, Youngstowners are no longer in control of much of what is happening and will happen in the city school district.

But it’s nice to know that whatever is going to happen structurally to the school district, in the meantime, there are efforts being made to educate and help students — one student at a time.

Just two recent stories that appeared in The Vindicator illustrate the point. There are many other stories involving teachers, administrators, guidance counselors, volunteers and parents. Some have been told; some have not.

Failure won’t be accepted

The first of the recent stories we have in mind is the policy described by Chaney Principal Richard Gozur to members of the academic distress commission recently.

D’s and F’s at Chaney’s Visual and Performing Arts and Science, Technology, Engineering and Math school will not be tolerated. Chaney students who earn below a grade of C in a core subject will see an incomplete on their report cards and will be required to attend an after-school tutoring program.

Students who complete the work necessary to improve their grade will eventually get a C on their report cards. They won’t be able to turn their initial nonperformance into a B or an A. Failure to improve will result in probation and possible removal from Chaney VPA/STEM. Not attending the tutoring sessions will bring removal from the program.

The policy sends an important life lesson, that when a person stumbles he or she can do something about it with additional work. Failure, however, isn’t an option for those who have signed up for VPA/STEM.

Learning from others

The second story was much lighter in tone, It told of Regina Rees, a Youngstown State University professor and a member of the Youngstown Doll Study Club, who brought books and 32 “traveling book friends” to Kirkmere Elementary School

There’s a doll or puppet or stuffed animal to go with each book, which helps students in kindergarten through fourth grade to enjoy a new dimension while learning to read. And at Kirkmere there was an added dimension to the program. Fourth graders helped first graders to read their books. There’s a life-long lesson involved in this program, too: Reading is fun.

Whether the pupil is making the transition from kindergarten to first grade or from junior high to a demanding high school curriculum, nothing beats extra attention, extra time and extra effort in helping them get through the rough spots and excel. One or two or 10 students at a time.