Board Update

Good Afternoon:

This week is a very important week because the State of the Schools Strategic Plan Presentation will be held this Wednesday, April 14, 2010 at 7:00 p.m. in the High School Performing Arts Center. Superintendent Ed Vittardi will review the Strategic Planning process and present the vision, mission, goals and action steps that have been developed.
Our strategic plan will help set the course for the next 5 years for our district. All residents of North Royalton and Broadview Heights are invited to attend. Please bring a friend or neighbor to this. We really want to pack the P.A.C. for this big event! Hope to see you all there!

LAST WEEK IN YOUR SCHOOL BOARD

I attended the City Earth Energy Environment Committee Meeting on April 5th at North Royalton City Hall. The committee discussed the city’s recycling program and is in the process of getting recycling containers for the proposed three convenience stations throughout the city. Because of the tight budget they are working on finding the right funds to use in order to purchase these convenience containers. There was also discussion about the Solar Energy Financing under House Bill 1. The city is still waiting for the administrative code from the state.

On April 6th I attended the North Royalton City Council Meeting. The City Council passed a resolution supporting the renewal levy of the North Royalton City School District. I personally thanked the Council for their support for the renewal levy and their continued support for our district.

The School Board met on April 8th for its’ Board Work Session and reviewed the April Regular Meeting agenda items, and such other matters before the Board.

“America’s 25 Best Schools for Your Housing Buck”
North Royalton City Schools was featured last week on www.forbes.com for being one of “America’s 25 Best Schools for Your Housing Buck.” In a recent rating from GreatSchools, North Royalton scored a 9 out of 10 based on its test results thus making the top 25 list. North Royalton was among the top 10 cities in the country that offer families excellent public schools and median home prices between $100K and $200K in this recent study. The article states:
“Oompah-pah! Oompah-pah! The marching band at North Royalton High School is one of the best in Ohio: It has trumpeted at the Rose Bowl and Indianapolis 500, with between 250 and 400 students enrolled in its ranks annually. Band leader Marty Lydecker is retiring soon, after 36 years of waving his baton. Five choirs also chime here in this suburb near Cleveland. With small-town amenities like an old hardware store, tailor shops, and a shoe repair shop, North Royalton also boasts great outdoor space including a new 15-acre park with walking trails, a community garden, and natural springs in the heart of town. Academically, North Royalton makes the best of good teachers and high parent involvement to achieve two 10s and three 9s among its schools, with 90% of its graduates entering college.”
The link to the photo/headline is: http://www.forbes.com/2010/04/05/best-schools-for-your-housing-buck-business-beltway-greatschools_slide_26.html
Story: http://www.greatschools.org/find-a-school/moving/slideshows/top-public-schools-100k.gs?content=2337&page=5
The district’s profile link is: http://www.greatschools.org/ohio/north-royalton/?s_cid=forbes
GreatSchools is a source of information on school performance. It offers a listing of 200,000 public and private schools serving students from preschool through high school and more than 800,000 parent ratings and reviews.
Good news! The Ohio Department of Education has approved the North Royalton School District’s Wavier for All Day Kindergarten for the 2010-2011 School Year. A change of this magnitude takes time to plan and implement successfully and we believe this to be our best course of action. The district has taken several steps for consideration of potential implementation such as an assessment of available physical space. It is our hope that the Ohio Department of Education continues to work with school districts to give us the time and energy to explore all possible options while also considering the value of our present programs and services that could be impacted with the mandates of ADK and the significant financial implications.

THIS WEEK IN YOUR SCHOOL BOARD

This week there is a School Board Meeting, committee meeting, and State of the Schools Strategic Plan Presentation.

April Regular School Board Meeting on April 12th at 7pm @ NRHS Community Room, 14713 Ridge Rd., North Royalton, OH 44133.

Educational Foundation Meeting on April 14th at 3:30pm @ Board of Education Office Conference Room, 6579 Royalton Rd., North Royalton, OH 44133.

State of the Schools Strategic Plan Presentation
On, Wednesday, April 14, 2010 at 7:00 p.m. in High School Performing Arts Center. Superintendent Ed Vittardi will review the Strategic Planning process and present the vision, mission, goals and action steps that have been developed. All residents of North Royalton and Broadview Heights are invited.

Renewal Levy
Just a reminder that the North Royalton School District has a renewal levy on the
May 4, 2010 ballot. This renewal levy WILL NOT increase taxes and passage is vital to allow our district to maintain current programs and services. This levy is a combination of two issues, the first of which was passed in 1990 and was last renewed in 2005. The levy will continue to raise $6,695,000 annually. Please vote YES on issue 8!

Monthly Coffee with School Board Member Dan Langshaw
If you are a constituent living in the North Royalton School District, you are
invited to attend my next monthly constituent coffee on April 19th at the French Quarter Café located at 5540 Wallings Road from 6pm to 8pm. I hold these coffees in order to stay in touch with fellow residents and listen to their feedback. There is no appointment necessary. Simply stop by and talk to me.

Have a Great Week!

Dan Langshaw
North Royalton School Board Member
440-785-4240
www.danlangshaw.com

“Putting Students First”