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Hathorn: Report card doesn’t show full picture of Youngstown schools
By Sean Barron
YOUNGSTOWN
The recent state report card on which the Youngstown City Schools received all D’s and F’s paints a bleak picture of the district’s longtime struggles, but it also fails to reveal the entire picture, Superintendent Connie Hathorn contends.
Hathorn noted after Tuesday’s board meeting that during the 2013-14 school year, the district improved in 15 of 24 academic indicators on the Ohio Achievement and Ohio Graduation tests, compared with the year before. Of the 15, seven showed an increase of 10 percent or more.
In addition, reading proficiency improved in six of 10 student subgroups during the same time, he pointed out. Two showed slight decreases and two others were not rated.
Nevertheless, he expressed disappointment with the report-card results, saying that other improvements were not made as he had hoped.
As a result, Hathorn said he is trying to concentrate more on making sure students have better literacy skills. Students’ options and likelihood for success are severely curtailed if they don’t know how to read, he contended.
The superintendent also wants to develop ways to encourage a greater number of parents to be more proactive in the schools and in their children’s lives, he continued. Ideas include reading more to their children, having the youngsters watch less TV, getting them to bed earlier and having parents meet with teachers more regularly.
To that end, Hathorn said he hopes to have Kevin Harris, who wrote a book titled “Reflections of the Journey,” come to Youngstown to speak on the virtues of parental involvement. The book addresses many of today’s educational and personal challenges.
Students “have only one chance to make it,” he added.
In response to recent reports of flagrant fire-safety violations at East High School, Hathorn noted that he intends to have a meeting at the 7-year-old school, in part to ensure parents and others that the $16 million facility is safe. Repairs were made the first week of school, and firewalls are in place, he explained.
Earlier, Wanda Coleman and Robinnetta Brady, co-presidents of the Parent Student Union, requested Hathorn send apology letters to parents of East students they contend have been defamed by being unfairly accused of vandalism. The accusations came after 14 doors designed to prevent a fire from spreading at the school were inoperable.
The superintendent said he felt a meeting would be more practical than sending an estimated 600 letters, though he did not mention a date for the session.