South Range Superintendent said report cards are just one facet of what the schools do everyday

Staff report

NORTH LIMA

South Range School District officials responded to the recent release of state report cards from the Ohio Department of Education.

Shari Lewis, curriculum, instruction and special education specialist, presented a break-down of the ODE’s state report card of South Range School District at the Monday night school board meeting.

The report includes grades for districts and schools based on six components for the 2015-16 school year. The components are Achievement, Progress, Gap Closing, Graduation Rate, Prepared for Success and K-3 Literacy.

South Range School District’s grades in those components were B, D, D, A, C and no grade for K-3 Literacy.

According to the ODE’s website, schools with less than 5 percent of struggling readers in kindergarten don’t receive a K-3 Literacy grade.

Lewis explained what the grades mean for students, staff and parents.

“I am hopeful my discussion of how we did on one state test never supersedes the good news that’s taking place at the elementary, middle and high school,” she said. “Truly that’s the day-to-day good stuff that happens in our district. This is truly a one-time shot basically at how our kids are performing at a state level.”

Superintendent Dennis Dunham said the report cards are difficult to talk about. Although their value is important, the grade is just “one facet of what we do every single day.”

“It’s not a football score on a Friday night, but it’s turning into that,” he said.

Lewis noted the lack of consistency in state testing, but said she is optimistic moving forward in always working to improve the education in the schools.

In other news, Transportation Director Jim Terry announced he soon would be handing over that leadership role to transportation employee Tammy Witmer.

Terry said he is not leaving South Range as a transportation employee, just stepping down in the department.