YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio - A second school revitalization play by Youngstown's superintendent would make significant changes in the city's education system, including some proposed school closings.
The new plan by Superintendent Dr. Connie Hathorn is designed to reconfigure schools and programs to create more choice for students and parents.
Under the plan, three schools would close next year.
Two middle schools would close. P. Ross Berry which may be considered as the new home for the districts administration offices and Volney Middle School which could become what the plan calls a "choice school." Also tagged for closing is UPLC, the districts alternative school. Wilson would become the new alternative school.
The aim of the plan is to address declining enrollment, the number of schools in academic distress and to reduce costs.
Good schools are important to any city, and Youngstown's mayor supports the superintendent's efforts to bring about positive change.
"He's not afraid to make changes. I mean he came in, he made some changes and got some good response from people about the changes that he made, but he's still not satisfied. So he's now making these additional changes," Mayor Sammarone said.
The plan points out that Youngstown has been steadily losing students and funding due to declining enrollment, and the hope is that by offering students and parents more choice, more students will choose to come back.
"Bringing students back to the city schools. We have young people living in the city but they're either going to charter schools or parochial schools or open enrollment outside. We have to bring them back and keep the ones we have," Sammarone said.
Meetings are planned to give parents more complete details on the plan.
All content © Copyright 2000 - 2013 Worldnow and WFMJ. All Rights Reserved. For more information on this site, please read our Privacy Policy and Terms
