ASHLAND — Ashland City Schools is working on updating its core values to match “the trajectory of the city of Ashland” and will continue to “accentuate the continual rise of this city” by serving as a pillar of success, interim superintendent Steve Paramore said at Ashland’s State of the City address on Monday.
“We’ll focus on safety. We’ll focus on finding the best staff and keeping the best staff. We’ll focus on collaboration and feedback,” Paramore said.
“Decisions will be made, but every bit of information and feedback will be considered. We’ll most certainly focus on making Ashland City Schools the most desired place to receive an education.”
To outline how the district will change its core values and grow with the city, Paramore broke down the district’s plans into four categories: safety, curriculum, operations and facilities, and community engagement and relationships.
Safety
Safety is the district’s most important aspect, according to Paramore. To that end, earlier in 2022 Ashland City Schools received a school safety grant to update the district’s facilities with cameras, exterior lighting, emergency call buttons, and improved emergency communications.
The district has a dedicated school safety team led by resource officer Jeremy Jarvis that works “to be prepared for any situation that may may affect our school district,” Paramore said.
Ashland City Schools also continues to work with local agencies to “address mental, social, and emotional needs” of students and staff, he added.
Curriculum
District-wide student achievement at Ashland is back to pre-COVID levels, due in part to curriculum updates that “include instructional practices that promote a high level of mathematical problem solving,” and “research-based practices for the science of reading and the structure of literacy,” Paramore said.
The superintendent reported 99.9% of Ashland students have passed Ohio’s third grade reading test, with only one student being held back over the 10 years the program has been in place.
Ashland students also have access to a number of learning opportunities like art shows, performing with the Escher Quartet, virtual reality learning, musicals and theater, game-based learning through Minecraft and more, Paramore said.
Operations and Facilities
Since 2019, Ashland City Schools has invested $5.4 million in construction projects for the district. Taft Intermediate School, Edison Elementary School, and Ashland High School have all been renovated over the past few years, Paramore said.
The high school also received a new scoreboard, a new track, a new north entrance to Community Stadium, and a storage building.
The role of technology in the district’s operations continues to grow with 1,550 new Chromebooks purchased last year, new projectors and interactive TVs, and a shift to Canvas, a learning management system that gives staff access to “more digital resources than ever before,” he said.
The district also continues to push families to enroll in the free and reduced lunch program if they need it.
Community Engagement and Relationships
The community got involved with the district in 2022 via its events, which included a back-to-school night, literacy nights, family nights, and many performances in Archer Auditorium, Paramore said.
On the professional side, Ashland City Schools will work with its staff unions, the Ashland County Teachers Association and the Ohio Association of Public School Employees to “create a culture of collaboration and a drive for excellence,” he said.
The district also recently started an initiative with Ashland University to “promote Arrows to Eagles” by getting students to attend the college.
The Ashland City Schools Foundation and the Ashland County Community Foundation, who have both donated to the school in the past, will also continue to team with the district.
Paramore’s full address is available here.
