News stories featured in the Ohio Department of Education and Workforce's News Clips may require a paid subscription.

State and Local Education News

A group of teachers got fed up with cell phones in their classrooms; here’s what they did about it
Cleveland.com
Students answered calls during class, ordered Uber rides from their desks, FaceTimed their boyfriends from the back of the room. Earlier this year, longtime English teacher Jill Strainic and her colleagues at Brush High School in suburban Cleveland had had enough. They organized a committee, did some research and came up with a solution. Starting next month, when students return to school after summer break, they’ll be required to store their phones in a school-provided magnetized Yondr pouch, which will keep the devices locked and inaccessible until they leave the building at the end of the day. 

Warren superintendent honored by Martha Holden Jennings Foundation
Warren Tribune Chronicle
Warren City Schools Superintendent Steve Chiaro received the Martha Holden Jennings Foundation’s 2024 Ohio Superintendent of the Year Award on Thursday. The honor is the highest accolade the foundation bestows upon an educator. The foundation celebrated Chiaro and presented the award to him at a banquet during the annual Jennings Educators Summit in Warrensville. The recognition includes a $10,000 grant in Chiaro’s name from the foundation to the school district. Additionally, the foundation plans to visit the Warren City School District during the 2024-25 school year and feature Chiaro on its website.

Related coverage: Warren City School District leader Steve Chiaro named Superintendent of the Year (Mahoning Matters), Warren City Schools’ Chiaro Named Superintendent of the Year (Youngstown Business Journal)

Future manufacturers and marshmallows: Sherrod Brown visits engineering camp for kids
Toledo Blade
Twelve-year-old Matthew Ward likes to work with his hands and said he’s interested in going into a career where he gets to build things. This week, Matthew got to weld metal flowers, construct pens, and engineer a marshmallow gun all while learning about careers in manufacturing. The weeklong camp was a part of the Wood County Advanced Manufacturing Camp, an initiative spearheaded by the office of U.S. Sen. Sherrod Brown’s (D., Ohio) to give students in fourth through eighth grade the chance to learn about career opportunities and hear from local experts.

Retired Akron PD detective, K-9 handler named safety director for Akron Public Schools
Akron Beacon Journal
Akron Public Schools has a new director of safety and security — but he's hardly a new face in Akron. Detective Alan Jones retired last month after a 33-year career with the Akron Police Department, including over a decade as a K-9 officer, the first Black person in that role in the department. He has worked in Akron's schools for years as a police liaison, providing security for events and occasionally filling in as a school resource officer. He's even helped coach a bit of football at his alma mater, Buchtel Community Learning Center.

Toledo youths recognized as future leaders at summer program graduation
Toledo Blade
About 39 young people between the ages of 6 and 17 spent the last seven weeks in training to become the leaders of tomorrow. From the proud smiles both they and their parents had during graduation from the Big Brothers Big Sisters of Northwestern Ohio’s Empowering Future Leaders program, it was clear the lessons they learned during the summer break from school will last them a lifetime.

Lucas County Farm Connections program serves as educator
Toledo Blade
A pig produces more than bacon and a cow shouldn’t be looked at as just a milk source. “Animals provide more than just meat,” said Jess Soffee, Lucas County 4-H educator. “They provide makeup, down comforters, glass, inks.” Participants stopping by the 4-H booth at Saturday’s Home Grown: Lucas County Farm Connections program at MacQueen Orchards in Holland could take a quiz from Ms. Soffee about their animal knowledge.

Car show aims to fill a cruiser with school supplies
Toledo Blade
An annual car show sponsored by the Mercy Health Protective Services Department will be held Saturday at Mercy Health Perrysburg Hospital. The festivities run from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at 12623 Eckel Junction Rd. There is no entry fee, but attendees are asked to bring school supplies to donate to local schools. The show’s goal is to completely fill a police cruiser with school items.