South-Western City Schools (SWCS) Deputy Superintendent Phil Warner said there are 1,120 students who attend charter schools who live within the SWCS district, and only 15 of them are meeting the academic standards of the students who attend SWCS.
“Six hundred ninety-nine students are identified as being under academic watch, and 267 students are identified as academic emergencies,” Warner said at the Oct. 13 SWCS Board of Education meeting.
One area where there is a noticeable difference between the SWCS passing rate and charter school passing rate is mathematics, according to Ohio Achievement Test statistics.
According to those statistics there is a 35 percent difference between charter school students and SWCS students in fourth grade math (36 percent to 72 percent). A 34 percent difference between them in fifth grade math (25 percent compared to 59 percent); and a 23 percent difference between charter school students and non-charter school students with the math portion of the Ohio Graduation Test (56 percent compared to 80 percent).
The largest margin of difference between charter school and non-charter school students in reading 24 percent (for fifth grade) and the smallest is 2.3 percent for 11th grade reading.
Superintendent Dr. William Wise said it is important to note that the passage rate for the charter schools are for all the students attending, not just those who live within the SWCS district.
Bus Radio
The board passed a resolution authorizing the treasurer and board president to enter into an agreement with Bus Radio, a new radio system for buses.
The system has a hands free 9-1-1 and a GPS system, which would allow the district to answer community calls and monitor the speed of the bus.
The system also plays age appropriate music and four minutes of public service announcements, which features young radio personalities to keep the students interested during their ride to school or back home.
According to the board, there will be no cost for installation and no cost for service.
Band Showcase
South-Western City Schools’ fifth annual Marching Band Showcase, featuring bands from all four SWCS high schools, will be held Oct. 23 at 7:30 p.m. in the Central Crossing High School football stadium, 4500 Big Run South Road, Grove City. The marching bands from Central Crossing High School, Franklin Heights High School, Grove City High School and Westland High School will each take the field individually to play their competition shows. The 10-minute shows will feature each band’s competition music.
At the conclusion of their individual performances, the band will join one another on the field for a special presentation. All four bands (nearly 500 students in total) will perform
“God Bless America” in unison.
The marching band showcase is free to the public. The Central Crossing concession stand will be open with snacks and refreshments for purchase.
