ACTION earns credit for efforts on behalf of Youngstown students

ACTION earns credit for efforts on behalf of Youngstown students

Congratulations to AC- TION. As Youngstown City School District board president and a national officer and past chair of the Council of Urban Boards of Education, I know how remarkable and significant it is to see true community engagement in action.

ACTION’s slogan “Standing Up For Quality Education,” addresses a tremendous range of accountability issues, and, as it should, puts strong emphasis on “quality education.” Parents and caretakers are responsible for making educational choices for their children, and those who believe education is the key to success will naturally seek the best opportunities, whether it is public, private, charter, online or home instruction. ACTION’s solid action plan keeps the focus and attention on quality education, avoids labeling, and has the potential to build partnerships to bring every student to his or her fullest potential.

In this process, Youngstown citizens are actively giving support to our superintendent, Dr. Connie Hathorn, and enabling him to make the radical changes this district needs. He has already made significant progress, and with the help of this community our city schools will one day be ranked among the best.

My personal thanks to ACTION President Pastor J. Dwayne Heard and Executive Director Rosetta Carter for their leadership and unwavering commitment to making this community engagement plan a reality.

I also extend thanks to ACTION’s former president, Rev. Michael Harrison, for his continued support. And most of all, I thank the citizens of Youngstown who are actively participating in these important community engagement meetings.

ACTION members, your voices are being heard, locally, statewide, and nationally. It is my intention to share this outstanding example of community engagement with the National School Boards Association at our July issues conference in New York.

Lock P. Beachum Sr., Youngstown

The writer is president of the Youngstown Board of Education.