Two of the county’s largest school systems – Lakota and Middletown – hired new superintendents, while Fairfield added three new schools and Middletown opened state-of-the-art sports arena.
The year saw some local school leaders publicly erupting over the rise in state-mandated student testing, and their protestations drew state lawmakers’ attention.
Here are some notable parts of 2017:
New school construction
Fairfield Schools made their own history by opening three schools – Central and Compass elementary schools and Fairfield Freshman School – in August as part of $80 million upgrade to the 10,000-student school system’s infrastructure.
And while Middletown Schools won’t be formally opening their new Middletown Middle School on the high school’s campus until August 2018, many renovated and expanded classrooms were put into use in the last half of 2017.
The district’s $96 million construction project is transforming the high school campus and includes the region’s most technologically advanced gym – the Wade E. Miller Arena – which opened earlier this month.
New school leaders
Middletown also saw the hiring of new Superintendent Marlon Styles Jr., the first African-American superintendent to hold that job as a non-interim position.
Southwest Ohio’s largest suburban district – and Ohio’s 8th largest school system – also hired a new leader, as Lakota’s Matt Miller took over the top job for the 16,500-student district.
Lakota made its own history in 2017 on the 20th anniversary of the first parallel high school building project that produced two, exactly identical high schools – Lakota West and Lakota East.
Lakota East drew international attention as four siblings — the Wade quads, Aaron, Zachary, Nigel and Nick – were recruited by Ivy League colleges for their academic prowess. The four eventually took Yale University up on its offer of full scholarships, and the four were featured on network TV shows and acclaimed nationwide and in international media after the Journal-News broke their story.
Fairfield’s ‘superbubz’ graduates before death
For far sadder reasons, the nation followed the plight of Fairfield first-grader Walter “Superbubz” Herbert, who before he died from Stage 4 neuroblastoma got to live his wish of graduating from high school during a special ceremony that drew hundreds of supporters in September.
State testing blasted by local school leaders
Student testing was in the crosshairs of some local superintendents – most notably Hamilton Schools Superintendent Tony Orr and Monroe Schools’ Phil Cagwin.
Orr continued to criticize state education officials for what he described as inaccurate and excessive student testing that produced annual state report cards that he said do not reflect the many strengths of Hamilton’s 10,000-student school system.
Ohio’s newest youth club opens in Lakota
The highest marks were coming in for Lakota Schools’ new $6.9 million Boys & Girls Club, which will officially open on Jan. 4 but was dedicated and held public tours earlier this month. The club was built on the site of the former Lakota Union School in Olde West Chester.
About the Author