CONGRATULATIONS VERMILION GRADUATES It was great to see the parents and families supporting their sons and daughters at the VHS graduation ceremony on June 9. The program, led by Heidi Riddle and the various student participants, was well received by the audience.
Successful graduation from high school is a major accomplishment, and I congratulate these students on their achievements. The task of earning a diploma has become more rigorous over the past 10 years, as Federal and State authorities continue to implement rules and laws to make public schools more accountable. Our goal is to teach not only content standards, but to instill a lifelong love of learning. Continued education is important to the success of all of our students, whether it is college, technical school or one-the-job training. We truly believe that we have given our graduates what they need to be successful.
CONVERSION COMMUNITY SCHOOL The Board of Education and a team of educators have been considering the creation of a Conversion Community School in Vermilion. There have been some calls asking for more information, so I thought this would be a good forum to provide you with some facts about what a Conversion Community School is and why we are considering this educational option.
Conversion community schools are created by converting all or a portion of an existing traditional public school to a community school. Conversion community schools may be opened by any school district in the state, and they are considered to be school districts for many purposes. Because community schools are by law "independent of any school district" (O.R.C. 3314.01 (B)), they operate independently from the sponsoring school district. The sponsor (in this case, Vermilion Schools) has a legal obligation to provide sufficient technical assistance, oversight and monitoring, including taking steps to intervene in a school’s operations to ensure that the community school meets all legally mandated fiscal, academic and operational requirements. Additional funding is available from the State of Ohio for community conversion schools.
We are considering sponsorship of a Conversion Community School to increase our ability to make technology education more available to Vermilion residents. We will be able to offer alternative educational opportunities to students not only in Vermilion, but also statewide. For example, gifted students will have the opportunity to expand their learning by participating in more challenging online course work. Students who are at risk of dropping out can be offered a less restrictive educational program that will help them to complete their coursework without the structure of a traditional school setting. These students will have the ability to earn a diploma instead of walking away from school before graduating. In addition to State funding, the ability to open enrollment to students statewide will generate revenue for the Conversion Community School. The Vermilion Board of Education will continue to study and consider this option throughout the summer.
SUMMER PROJECTS This summer we have some very visible improvement projects going on in and around our facilities. Our football field will undergo a much needed restoration, and will include upgraded irrigation. The track at VHS stadium will also be refurbished and repaired. We know that residents and students alike will benefit from these improvements. Our stadium is used by many residents and various community groups for exercise and community events.
In addition to small building improvements, parking lots and sidewalk areas will be repaired and repaved, and you may see some painting of fences around the district. We hope that you will take time to stop by and see what we are doing to improve our facilities and keep them in good repair for our residents.
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