Commission has chance for success

The new Lorain Academic Distress Commission has a grand opportunity to help transform the current academic tide around for Lorain City Schools.

While it’s unfortunate Lorain Schools are in academic distress — and have been since 2013 — the new commission is poised to be a positive step in a negative situation.

In a joint statement between the Ohio Department of Education, city of Lorain and Lorain City School Board, the five members of the Lorain Academic Distress Commission were announced April 6 through a news release.

Ohio Superintendent of Public Instruction Paolo DeMaria chose three commission members who include: Dr. Michele Soliz, assistant vice president of student success and inclusion at University of Toledo; Patricia O’Brien, executive director of The Stocker Foundation; and Anthony Richardson, program officer of The Nord Family Foundation.

Lorain Mayor Chase Ritenauer chose John Monteleone as a resident to represent the interests of the city.

Lorain School Board President Tim Williams chose teacher Dorinda Hall, an academic instruction coach, with an alternate of Steve Cawthon, a teacher at Lorain High.

Each member will bring a different perspective.

For instance, Monteleone served as principal of Washington Elementary School before accepting a position as assistant superintendent at Oberlin City Schools.

Ritenauer said, “My appointment is in very good hands with John Monteleone.”

The mayor, who had no formal application process, said Monteleone’s background made him an ideal candidate.

Experience, diversity, intelligence, local roots and a strong belief in public service are all represented, Ritenauer said.

And Ritenauer is on point when he says these attributes are essential in earning community trust in the academic distress commission process.

Williams, who worked with the prior commission, views this one as a favorable panel.

He said he talked with three stakeholder groups, interviewed between 17 and 20 people for the position and asked the school board for consensus before he selected Hall, with Cawthon as the alternate.

During his search, Williams said he looked for professionalism, exceptional teaching skills, very high integrity, strong family ties and mental toughness for handling the strain of representing other teachers and at the same time, raising the academic achievements in the district.

DeMaria’s selections were met with approval.

His choice of Soliz may raise some questions since there appear to be no Lorain ties.

However, her background of student success and inclusion can be seen as a boost to Lorain Schools Superintendent Dr. Jeff Graham, who instituted programs in the district to give the students a bigger voice.

In appointing Richardson, DeMaria chose a Lorainite who has done well. Richardson’s a husband, a father, a former Lorain City Councilman and an attorney who is well connected and respected in the community.

And the selection of O’Brien also makes sense. Her organization, the Stocker Foundation, is dedicated to increasing literacy among underprivileged children.

Also, Hall and Richardson sat on a citizen committee that in 2015, hired Graham.

So, there you have it. The panel is in place.

The academic distress commission is going to delve into uncharted territory with Lorain Schools entering the phase of state control under House Bill 70, which has never before been experienced.

Youngstown City Schools progressed through academic distress through appointment of a second academic distress commission and a CEO, but not under the new law.

Williams said, “My expectation is the commission has a lot of work to do. The sooner those folks get their bearings straight the better. We know school starts in August.”

DeMaria recognizes how proud Lorain residents are and stresses he’s impressed by the commitment and dedication of teachers, administrators, civic leaders and the community working together to make city schools better.

He said the academic distress commission will go about its work valuing all that is taking place and building on the progress being made with the goal that all students succeed.

DeMaria said he is grateful to the new academic distress commission members for their expertise and willingness to support the goal of a highquality education system in Lorain. He will appoint a chair of the new commission. Then the commission will have 60 days to appoint a CEO, who will run the district.

The new commission will carry out the duties laid out in law to support improvement and excellence in the district.

Members have a lot of work ahead of them to return the struggling district to academic respectability and beyond.

This latest approach is encouraging.