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Don’t let up on literacy push in Ohio

Education officials in Ohio have done an excellent job focusing on improving literacy for younger students, with the implementation of the 3rd grade reading guarantee and the science of reading. Now a report by the Thomas B. Fordham Institute urges them to keep pushing. Combining intervention and support for younger students with reading deficiencies with the science of reading has produced impressive results. Among the improvements highlighted in the report are elementary schools transitioning to higher quality literacy programs, educators receiving support in implementing the science ...

Avoid the risks of leaving kids unvaccinated

Need another reason to be sure your child is up to date on vaccinations, including measles? It won’t just keep them healthier (maybe even save their lives), it will keep them in school. A Cleveland.com story focusing on northeast Ohio noted nearly 1 in 8 Geauga County kindergarten students have an exemption for the measles, mumps and rubella vaccination requirements. To keep them safer, then, they must be excluded from any affected school until 21 days after the onset of the last known measles case, according to the Ohio Department of Health. And, as Cleveland.com points out, measles ...

Obey school bus safety rules for kids’ sake

Parents with school-aged children are already well aware, but other drivers will have noticed by now: School is back in session, and the buses are on the road. That means students — of all ages, experience and supervision levels — will be walking to and from schools and bus stops at least twice a day, all week. Drivers must be alert and follow the rules. "It's about the safety of the kids," Alicia Jaramillo, transportation director of Warren Local Schools, said last week. "We have a lot of (illegal school bus passes) especially on (Ohio) 339 and 550." Unless you are inconsiderate, ...

Step up to fill kids’ needs this school year

Lineworkers at AEP Ohio’s Marietta Service Center organized a donation drive to collect personal care/hygiene products for students and families in the Fort Frye Local Schools district ahead of this school year. According to Fort Frye Superintendent Stephanie Starcher, it’s a big need. "We are always accepting those, because we provide a lot of those types of supplies to families and students in need," Starcher said. "Each year, we usually wipe out our supply." Fort Frye also feeds students, of course; is developing an in-school health clinic partnership; maintains a ...

Support Ohio farmers after storms

Recent violent storms across Ohio have provided a reminder about just how much we take for granted our local farmers. Many were hit by another round of storms earlier this week that destroyed this year’s harvests. According to a report by WCMH, Tuesdays weather events were the worst in central Ohio since the 2012 derecho. States of emergency have been declared in Perry and Muskingum counties. Those storms did not just produce winds and rain that damaged or destroyed crops, they also took out structures ranging from barns to farm stands. Just a couple of weeks ago in Washington ...

One study isn’t whole picture for Ohio

Ohioans paying attention to national reports and rankings of the state are on a bit of a roller coaster ride lately, as hot on the heels of CNBC naming the state the best in the country for business, U.S. News and World Report says it’s actually one of the worst in the country for everything else. According to a report by WCMH, Ohio is doing better than only West Virginia and Michigan among its neighbors, and is ranked 42nd overall in the country in a survey that looked at education (29th), health care (36th), economy (38th), infrastructure (31st), opportunity (a bright spot at 18th), ...