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School day gets longer for Chaney students falling short
By Denise Dick
Youngstown
Chaney students who earn below a grade of C in a core subject will see an incomplete on their report cards and be required to attend an after-school tutoring program.
The extended-day academic probation program is mandatory for students who earn a D or F.
Tutoring will be twice per week per subject in which the student is earning below a C.
“Our main goal is to get kids to learn, not to fail them,” Chaney Principal Richard Gozur told members of the city schools academic distress commission last week.
The commission, appointed in early 2010 after the city school district failed to meet adequate yearly progress for multiple years, is charged with implementing an academic-recovery plan for the district. It’s the first such commission in the state.
“It’s not that we’re trying to close the achievement gap,” said Superintendent Connie Hathorn. “We’re trying not to create one.”
Chaney opened this school year as a Visual and Performing Arts and Science, Technology, Engineering and Math school for students in sixth through 12th grades. Students have to audition and or be interviewed to be selected to attend.
Chaney students who are on academic probation will make up all of the work that wasn’t acceptable during the previous grading period, and they’ll remain in the probation program until all of that work is made up with satisfactory grades.
When they achieve a satisfactory grade, the incomplete will be changed to a C.
“The highest they can get is a C, Gozur said.
If a student doesn’t attend the tutoring sessions, they will be removed from Chaney VPA/STEM.
Those on probation must raise their grade at least one letter grade for the next grade period or remain on probation. Two consecutive probational periods will trigger a meeting among the student, parent, teachers and program coordinator to determine if the student is enrolled in the appropriate educational placement, according to the school’s policy.
The after-school tutoring is conducted from 3 to 5 p.m. Bus rides home for students will be provided.
All other VPA/STEM/athletic activities will be second to the probation program, the policy says.
Chaney VPA/STEM students and parents agreed to an extended day upon enrollment at the school.