By Kate Seegraves

Staff Writer

Greenon Local Schools staff, students and parents have something to celebrate as they begin the 2010-2011 school year.

The district recently received an “Excellent with Distinction” designation on its district report card for the 2009-2010 school year, the highest rating possible. The report cards are issued annually by the Ohio Department of Education. The designation is a step above the “Excellent” rating officials thought the district would receive this year.

Only one other district in the county, Clark-Shawnee Local Schools, received the same designation.

According to Greenon’s report card – which is available to the public on the Ohio Department of Education’s website – the district met 25 out of 26 indicators on its report card. Indicators measure the percentage of students who are at or above the proficient level on grade level achievement tests, such as third grade reading.

The only indicator Greenon did not meet was fifth grade math. The district missed meeting the indicator by nine-tenths of a percent, said Superintendent Lori Lytle, the equivalent of about two students.

Clark-Shawnee Local met 24 out of 26 indicators. It did not meet indicators in fifth grade math or eighth grade science.

Behind Greenon and Clark Shawnee, Northeastern Local, Northwestern Local, Southeastern Local and Tecumseh Local all achieved the “Excellent” designation on their respective report cards. Springfield City Schools was designated a “Continuous Improvement” district.

The news of Greenon’s success was exciting news for the district’s staff and teachers, Lytle said. Greenon scored higher on the 2009-2010 report card than it did the year before, when it received an “Effective” designation. Lytle credits the district’s willingness to “do away with the ‘one-size-fits-all’ approach” to education and concentrate on individual students.

“There’s a well-deserved sense of pride among the teachers and supporting staff and the administration,” she said. “We’ve all worked very, very hard the past two years to achieve this rating. To be No. 1 in Clark County is a really incredible feeling.”

At the same time, Lytle cautioned local residents that the district faces challenges for next year’s report card. With big cuts being made to the district’s budget and an emergency levy on November’s ballot, she said the district’s future performance is at stake.

“Even while we celebrate, the reductions have forced class sizes to grow larger and kids are receiving less one-on-one instruction,” Lytle said. “We’re already moving in the opposite direction.”

To view Greenon Local Schools’ complete 2009-2010 district report card, visit The Ohio Department of Education’s website at www.ode.state.oh.us.