Thursday, September 27th, 2012

Area schools score high in state testing

By Amy Kronenberger
The Ohio Department of Education released partial state report cards to districts Wednesday after a month's delay.
The hold-up is due to a statewide investigation launched by state auditor Dave Yost after accusations of data tampering surfaced. The main issue appears to be whether low-performing students were removed from the rolls at some schools to improve those districts' performance rankings.
The results released this week - test scores, adequate yearly pro-gress, value-added growth and graduation rate - are not directly affected by Yost's inquiry, state officials say. The overall rankings - from excellent with distinction to academic emergency - were not released.
All schools in the Grand Lake area had test passage rates in the 80s to a perfect 100 percent. Every school except Parkway met or exceeded value-added growth.
Value-added growth affects students in grades 3-8 and measures their educational growth from one year to the next. A district can fail, maintain or exceed the expected growth. Parkway superintendent Greg Puthoff said he doesn't know why they didn't meet the standard.
"I can't figure out how we get our scores, and no one at the state can tell me," he said.
Puthoff said the elementary and middle schools individually met the expected growth, but the two combined as a district did not.
"That's what doesn't make sense to me, but that's just what happens," he said.
Despite the value-added rating, Puthoff said school officials are very happy with the other results, especially with their high test scores.
Celina is the only district to exceed value-added growth.  
"It's fantastic," curriculum director Curt Shellabarger said. "And if you go by the ... rating system, that's what determines an excellent versus an excellent with distinction rating."
Several schools in the area did not meet their adequate yearly progress rating, including Celina, Fort Recovery, St. Henry and St. Marys.
Shellabarger said adequate yearly progress is a result of the No Child Left Behind legislation and involves minority students based on race and special needs. A group needs at least 30 students to qualify. Celina has two groups, special needs students and those on the free or reduced lunch program.
"AYP takes a look at how many students pass the (progress) test," he said. "A certain percent needs to pass the test, and we did not reach that percentage."
Shellabarger said officials will keep working with teachers to improve next year's score.
Official state test results and overall ratings are expected in January.
St. Marys superintendent Shawn Brown said having to wait for the results can be frustrating and delay any work on needed improvements.
"We continue to do what we do anyway to meet our goals and help the students improve, but by making us wait, we won't know where we need to improve," he said. "Finding out in January really puts us behind the eight ball of improving anything yet this (school) year."
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Pieces came from the Smithsonian, other museums and private collections
SPRINGFIELD - An exhibit at the Springfield Museum of Art will highlight an Indian Lake ceramic artist and former New Bremen elementary teacher who achieved national acclaim but never abandoned his small-town roots. [More]
Subscriber and paid stories on this date
COLDWATER - More than 50 Mercer Health employees attended the hospital's monthly board meeting Wednesday night to express displeasure with CEO Paula Detterman and her administration.
Former optometrist was convicted of sexual assault
ST. MARYS - Former optometrist Douglas Wine is asking the Ohio Supreme Court to overturn his sexual assault conviction.
Wine's attorney, Lorin Zane
Button batteries - those tiny devices that power games, musical greeting cards, remote control devices, hearing aids, calculators and even toys - can pose a health threat if they get in the wrong hands.
St. Marys
ST. MARYS - A jumbo television in the high school gymnasium soon will provide advertising and revenue for the athletic department.
Athletic director Doug Spencer received the school board's approval for the project during a special meeting Wednesday.
Celina
CELINA - School board members narrowed the search for a new superintendent to two during a four-hour interview and discussion Wednesday night.
Boar
ST. MARYS - Chamber of commerce executive director Kelly Kill announced her retirement Tuesday, saying the time was right to move on.
Kill worked with the chamber for 14 years, seven as the director. Her last day will be Dec. 31.
The excitement is back for the Backyard Battle as the Coldwater Cavaliers and St. Henry Redskins meet for the 41st time in a battle of state-ranked teams on Friday night at Cavalier Stadium.
When Celina's football team hosts Van Wert on Friday night for their annual Western Buckeye League encounter, it's a matchup that appears to be a mismatch.
Last Curtain Call
As a high school junior in 1979, St. Henry's linebacker Don Post had won a lot of high school football games up to that point in his career.
There was a glaring hole in his resume however, and the fact that he had never tasted victory over Coldwater wasn't something that sat very well with him.
Marion Local's head football coach Tim Goodwin said after Saturday's loss to Versailles that the mistakes his team made early would have to end now that the Flyers are entering the tough part of their schedule.
Last Week's Impact Players:
Offense
Braelen Bader, WR,
Celina
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10 receptions for 233 yards and 4 touchdowns vs. St. Marys

Defense
Josh Huber, DB
Coldwater
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85-yard fumble recovery return for touchdown vs. Minster.