East High reopens Thursday for seniors amid calm and hope

Staff report

YOUNGSTOWN

It wasn’t a normal school day, but East High School reopened to students Thursday with no problems reported.

Seniors returned two days after a series of fights Tuesday closed the school through Wednesday.

“We’re phasing it in by grade level,” said Principal Denise Vaclav Danko. “We’ve had a very productive day.”

On Thursday seniors took part in conflict-resolution sessions, hearing information from members of the community, including Guy Burney of the Community Initiative to Reduce Violence.

The remainder of the school day was spent preparing students to take the Ohio Graduation Test next week.

“We have 155 seniors, and 65 of them need to pass some part of the OGT,” the principal said. “We had 90 here” Thursday. “That’s exciting.”

Students must pass all parts of the state-mandated test to graduate from high school.

“My concern is the state assessments,” Vaclav Danko said.

Seniors resume their regular schedule today, and juniors return and will get similar conflict resolution instruction and OGT preparation.

Underclassmen return Monday.

“We’re also going to provide the opportunity for senior leaders to speak to underclassmen about choice, universal expectations, responsibility, being engaged,” Vaclav Danko said.

They’ll also highlight the importance of academics.

School personnel identified senior leaders Wednesday.

So far, two students have been charged in Mahoning County Juvenile Court for their roles in the fights. Arraigned Wednesday on a charge of assault before Magistrate Anthony D’Apolito was Carlos Esteban Uribarry, 17, of Grandview Avenue. Arraigned on a charge of disorderly conduct was Tyrica Stephens, 15, of West Chalmers Avenue.

Uribarry remains in detention at the Martin P. Joyce Juvenile Justice Center. Stephens was taken into custody at the high school after the fight, released later that day and charged after she was released. She remains free pending her next court date.

Both charges are misdemeanors. Magistrate D’Apolito entered pleas of not guilty/denial for both of them.

Through a spokeswoman, police Chief Robin Lees said the investigation into the fights is still open. Investigators are interviewing students and staff and are watching video footage as well, the spokeswoman said.

De’Angelo Padgett, a senior at East, said after school Thursday he and other students learned how to resolve problems without turning to conflict.

“There’s fighting everywhere,” he said. “It’s high school.”

At the end of the school day, buses awaited the students on a rainy afternoon as they were told by a school official to “keep walking” and avoid talking to a Vindicator reporter. A photographer and videographer were told to stay off school property as they tried to talk to students about what they learned during the day.

The Vindicator was told that a pass is needed from the board of education to be on the property to talk to students.

While getting on the bus, one student yelled to a reporter: “I love East High.”

The Rev. Lewis Macklin Jr. of Holy Trinity Missionary Baptist Church was among those who spoke to students. He planned to return today.

The Rev. Mr. Macklin said the session went well, and there was a sense of hopefulness.

“It was a rallying call to remind them that not only the state, but the nation is watching, and they have the opportunity to change the narrative completely around,” he said.

William Morvay, chief of security for the school district, said the day was peaceful. He stressed that Tuesday’s events involved only a few students.

“The 600 of so other kids stayed in their classrooms, did what they were supposed to do and didn’t get involved,” he said. “They had no part of it whatsoever. We’ve still got a lot of good kids in the school that want to learn.”