As we complete the third quarter of the 2008-2009 academic year, we reflect back to August and find it remarkable that we have experienced so much change, activity and progress! As Jeff Wendorf began his first full year as superintendent, a new strategic plan was launched, on-line registration and fully developed professional development offerings were commenced that include both our certified and classified staff, a strategic plan for the Arts in Lake was created and a 21st Century Learning Focus Group was formed. Through a grant, a team of administrators, teachers and technology personnel were able to travel to visit the Microsoft School of the Future and the Science Leadership Academy in Philadelphia, PA.
Excellent with Distinction
We also celebrated our “Excellent with Distinction” rating from the state of Ohio and our “Value-Added” scores from SOAR (Battelle for Kids). In addition, we learned that we are second in the state for a combination of the lowest cost per pupil and highest student performance. We are ranked 510 out of 612 districts in revenue per pupil, which means that we are one of the lowest per pupil revenue districts, while maintaining a high level of academic, arts and athletic achievement. Our performance index was 107.2, the highest in Stark County. We can credit this success to our students, our staff and our community.
Lake is one of 49 districts in the state to receive a grant in the amount of $100,000 to pilot the Seniors-to-Sophomores “Early Adopters” program {eleven grant recipients are from Stark County}. The grant is part of the initiative sponsored by Governor Strickland and the Ohio Board of Regents promoting the acquisition of college credit for students while they are enrolled in high school. The intent of the grant is for Early Adopters to initiate programs that provide high school students the opportunity to secure college credit while still in high school. Students can secure college credit by attending college while in high school, either at the college or high school campus. For students choosing to attend college, they receive dual credit for their college course and a high school course in the same content area. Most Lake High School students choose to attend college courses on their high school campus, where “dual credit” courses are taught by high school teachers who have achieved adjunct instructor status with local colleges {presently we are collaborating with Kent State Stark Campus and Stark State College}. Grant monies are available to offset costs associated with our dual credit program, as well as for providing funds to defer educational expenses for staff members who pursue adjunct status to enable them to teach dual credit courses.
Presently 131 students are participating in our dual credit program, averaging around 6 college credit hours each per year. Lake High School also has 128 students participating in advanced placement courses and 117 in college-tech prep courses. Advanced placement courses and college tech prep programs offer students the opportunity to achieve college credit at the successful completion of the course {Advanced Placement Credit is based upon performance on an end-of-course exam}. All of these initiatives are driven by an action plan for increasing the rigor and relevance of our high school curriculum and are consistent with our district strategic plan.
Results of Issue 1
The “Yes for Lake” community committee began educating our constituents about Issue 1, and we are so grateful for their hard work and dedication, which (Option 1) has resulted in the passing of a 4.9 mil bond issue which will afford our students the opportunity to learn in new buildings, with more space and enhanced features that will include areas for technology, the arts and athletics. (Option 2) while not resulting in a win at the polls, made our community aware of the crowded spaces and needs for repairs and renovations in our district. It is our hope that in May, we will be able to tell our staff and students that we will be able to provide state of the art learning areas and more space for our ever growing student population.
Extra-curriculars
Our athletic teams began the season with a gift from the Lake Athletic Booster Club. New turf was installed at Blue Streak Stadium which has provided mud and weather-free play for football, as well as an outdoor facility that has been used by our bands, academic classes and community groups. Our “Project Connect” has served more than 500 seniors, treating them to a piano recital, a play and a holiday music concert at the Lake Performing Arts Hall. Lake High School band, choir and orchestra students recently received top honors at the Ohio Music Education Association sponsored solo and Ensemble contest at GlenOak High School on Saturday, January 24, 2009. Students could enter the contest in both the solo or ensemble category. The Lake High School music program entered a total of 54 events at this contest. Of these 54, 33 were rated as “Superior”; 18 were rated as “Excellent” and 3 were rated as “Good”.
In addition, Lake had three winners of the 55th Annual Scholastic Art Awards, Sponsored by Kent State University. Lake’s winners include Dena Parker from Lake High School, a student of Karan Knish and Philip Burt and Davis Robbins from Lake Middle School, students of Heather Boxler.
Action plans
The district’s Strategic Leadership Team has worked diligently to create action plans for the goals and objectives set forth in the strategic plan. We have also created a “balanced scorecard” which measures how well we are doing in relation to our strategic plan objectives. Lake TV is growing each month with new programming and a TV advisory board is in place to monitor progress and create new opportunities to communicate with the district’s community members. We have five members of our administrative team trained and serving as examiners for the Ohio Partnership for Excellence and we have developed and begun deployment of a set of core processes that will help guide our district for years to come.
