Town hall meeting panned for Lorain gold

Lorain citizens looked back while gazing ahead toward hiring a chief executive officer to run the district.

They sifted through disappointments and challenges to discern qualities of a district leader.

The process happened because the newly appointed Lorain Academic Distress Commission hired an executive search firm to facilitate a nationwide search for a top level administrator.

Part of the search included two days of meetings with citizens and focus groups to weigh needs and wants June 19 and 20 at Lorain High School, 2600 Ashland Ave. in Lorain.

By Ohio law, the CEO must be appointed by July 25.

And Dr. Jim Hager of Las Vegas, president of Atlantic Research Partners in Chicago, said so far, 30 people have either inquired about the CEO position, or have applied for the job.

While ideas surfaced for educating the whole child during earlier focus groups, citizens who attended a 6:30 p.m. town hall meeting said they want the district to return to its glory days of about two decades ago.

Lorain Academic Distress Commission Chair Dr. Tony Richardson said he wants the entire community to be involved in the process.

“Our goal was to get the non traditional voices and hear the characteristics people would like to see in a CEO,” Richardson said.

Terry Milam, a Lorain resident for all but five years of his life, including three years in the U.S. military, said he put two children through Lorain City Schools.

“I think the CEO should be out of the system we have here, our school system,” Milam said. “Someone comes from out of state, it would take them three or four months to know what is going on.”

Bob Balogh, an electrician for Lorain City Schools, said he’s a product of the district and it provided him with a career he appreciates.

“I hate to see our ship sinking,” Balogh said.

Paul Biber, a former teacher, coach and school board member, said stability is important.

“Since 2007, we’re on our fifth superintendent,” Biber said. “Stability and consistency. A district like this needs that, maybe more than others.

“We have some very troubled young people. We need someone who can work with many, many issues. And this town is kind of shrinking on the vine.”

Melanie Williams, a parent of a graduate and a senior at Lorain High, said she graduated from Lorain City Schools and earned a master’s in education.

“I would like Lorain to get back to where it was when I was in school,” Williams said. “I agree that consistency is really important. But we also need someone to say what we were doing before it wasn’t working.

“But there are some things that were working, and stop always changing programs.

“Let’s have the courage and conviction to say, ‘We’re going to keep this.’ I would like to see the bar raised. I would like to see the superintendent who is going to say, ‘We are going to raise the bar.’ If you don’t raise the bar, you won’t reach it.”

Building relationships

Michelle Nimene, a teacher in Elyria and a parent of a Lorain student, said people matter in Lorain.

“I would like to see someone who builds relationships with people,” Nimene said. “Someone who is actually interested in building relationships.

“In order for someone to succeed academically, you have to have the relationships.”

She recommended the type of person who shows up at a carnival down the street because the students will be there.

“Someone who is looking at a community as not just an event, but as a culture you immerse yourself in,” Nimene said.

“Before (Lorain Schools Superintendent Dr. Jeff) Graham started, he went to our International Festival that’s been going on for 50 years,” Balogh said. “Which I thought was really great.”

One of the things facilitators heard was the district does not have enough parents who are similar to the people who showed up for the meetings, said Dr. Leroy Nunery, a co-facilitator from Atlantic Research Partners.

“Parental engagement seems to be something that is lagging here,” Nunery said.

Engaging the community

“Engagement: That’s the number one concern,” Biber said. “The shocking statistic was 25 percent chronic absenteeism in kindergarten.

“And 80 percent of our kids who take our kindergarten entrance exam flunk it. If you’re going to address performance in the district, you’re going to do that first, last and foremost. I had three rules: Be here. Be on time. Behave. And I didn’t have any problems. If you show up, you’re half way to success.”

Richardson said the social-emotional needs must be addressed before students can talk about math.

Nimene said the schools need to be more family friendly.

“And make sure it’s equitable for all students,” she said. “We focus a lot on our underachieving. We have a lot of high achievers that aren’t getting their due.”

Joyce Conway, a single parent raising a sixthgrade son, Dennis, said she tries to participate in everything at school.

“He missed school because I was sick, and I don’t have any help,” Conway said. “I don’t have any problem taking him to school, but I’m just one person. I get worn out being a single parent, but I try my best.

“I’m happy I came in. I’m learning. And he had a good teacher. I came up under Lorain City Schools. I agree with everybody in this room. It’s opening my eyes about what’s going on.”

School board member Bill Sturgill said many of the attributes mentioned by the people describe Graham.

“That man came in with an open door policy,” Sturgill said. “The first day of school, he stood at the door and shook the hand of every teacher as they went out. He opened all the doors of Charleston (administration center), not just his door. And he’s only been here two years. I pray to God we get an educator. That’s what we need.”

Hager said the CEO profile created from the focus groups and town halls will be a public document posted at www.atlanticresearchpartners.org.

“I would like Lorain to get back to where it was when I was in school.” —Melanie Williams, a parent of a graduate and a senior at Lorain High