Elmwood amends graduation requirements | Community

In March, Gov. Mike DeWine signed House Bill 67 into law. It allows schools flexibility in granting high school diplomas to students who were enrolled in 12th grade or who were on track to graduate this school year, and who have not yet completed the requirements for a high school diploma.

For these students, schools can grant a high school diploma if the principal has determined that the student has successfully completed the high school curriculum.

“What they’re trying to do is give schools all the tools possible to make sure kids graduate that should graduate,” said Superintendent Tony Borton.

That includes students who missed testing opportunities, or those that may be taking online classes who are struggling.

“It just gives us the flexibility to make sure these kids that should’ve graduated would graduate in a normal year and don’t get missed,” he said.

There are five or six students this will apply to, said high school Principal Ty Traxler.

“Online seems to be our biggest challenge, our biggest hurdle right now in regard to students completing the work,” he said.

Board member Brian King asked if the problem is due to a harder curriculum, lack of effort or not doing the work.

“Can I choose a D, all of the above?” Traxler said. “It’s such a variety of factors. It’s a case-by-case basis.”

“I support trying to do the right thing for kids,” King said. “But I don’t support giving people free passes for not doing their work.”

In addition, HB 67 allows for seniors to use their final course grade in lieu of a score on an end-of-course examination to satisfy graduation requirements for that course.

Also at the meeting, the board:

• Heard Traxler report that graduation in 2022 will remain on a Sunday. There was a discussion of moving the ceremony to a Friday.

Traxler said the spring sports schedule may force students to choose between competing in a regional or state event or graduation.

“That’s not something we want to put our kids in the scenario to have to do that,” he said.

• Learned from Treasurer LuAnn Vanek that approximately 10 fraudulent unemployment claims have been made against district staff.

She said the district’s worker’s compensation group retrospective rating program takes care of that issue.

The board agreed to pay $905 to participate in the program, which is offered through the Ohio Association of School Business Officials and the Ohio School Boards Association.

• Accepted donations of $2,180 from Ball Corp. in Findlay for the football program; $7,920 from Royal Summer Baseball for the baseball program’s spring trip; and $5,825 from the Lady Royals Dugout Club for the softball program’s spring trip.

• Approved a payment of $2,683 for a contract with Northwest Ohio Educational Technology for the 2021-22 school year.

• Learned no summer school is planned, since students have been in the classroom full time all year.

Teachers are burned out, Borton said, but they will be available to provide some tutoring.