Bucyrus graduation rate climbs above 94%, principal tells school board members

For the second year in a row, Bucyrus Secondary School's graduation rate will be above 90%, after more than a decade below that mark.

During the regular meeting of the Bucyrus City Schools Board of Education on Thursday evening, high school principal Dr. Javier Singh announced he anticipates a 94.4% graduation rate this year.

Last year's rate was 90.4%, the first time it had been above 90% since the 2008-2009 school year, according to previous reports.

Singh commended Timothy Souder, assistant principal; and Brett Love, teacher, for the "tremendous job" they have done.

Board members applauded the announcement.

Board President Randy Blankenship thanked Singh, Souder, Love "and all the other teachers that are involved."

"No single individual was responsible for that; it takes the entire school district, from pre-K all the way through high school year, to get kids to that finish line," he said. "So thank you all that are here that have played a role in that. I appreciate it."

"I'm very proud of all the seniors and Dr. Singh and the high school staff to get that number to where it is," Superintendent Bob Britton said Friday morning. "It's taken a lot of hard word over the last couple years."

This year's graduating class is slightly larger than last year's, Singh told board members during Thursday's meeting, with 84 graduates, up from 77. That number includes two juniors who will be graduating early. Members of the senior class earned 15 community scholarships and 15 awards. The total amount is still being calculated.

Graduation will be at 7 p.m. May 26 at the high school stadium.

Officials commended for helping city open pool

Scott Brown, regional liaison for Ohio Auditor of State Keith Faber, attended the meeting to present a commendation to Britton and Ryan Cook, the district's chief financial officer whose resignation was accepted later in the meeting, for their role in helping the city open the Aumiller Park Pool this summer.

At a Bucyrus City Council meeting in April, Britton and Cook announced the district would cover the cost of opening the pool, which city officials had planned to leave closed this year because of financial issues. As part of the deal, all Bucyrus students, pre-K through 12, will receive a free pool pass.

Brown said after he brought the news to Faber's attention, the state auditor wanted to thank school officials for their good work and "thinking outside the box." Brown read Faber's commendation to the board.

"Through the innovation and diligent work of Superintendent Bob Britton and Treasurer Ryan Cook as well as cooperation from the mayor and city council, the Aumiller Park Pool will now open this year, and therefore I recognize and congratulate the Bucyrus City School District and the City of Bucyrus for their commitment to the community," Brown read.

In other business

Also during Thursday's meeting:

● Three students — fifth-grader Tristen Reeves, son of Codi and Charlee Reeves; sixth-grader Tyson Beck, son of Angel and Thomas Beck; and freshman Emma Graves , daughter of Christa and Dave Graves — were recognized as Stoney's Kind Kids. Another student honored, fifth-grader Lucy Daiber, daughter of Erin Dreyer and Jason Daiber, did not attend the meeting. The monthly kindness recognition program honors the memory of the late Chuck Stone.

● Board members heard from parent Nicole Frazier, who expressed concerns about the quality of coaching for the middle school girls basketball program. She said she believes families are leaving the district because of its poor athletic programs, and asked board members to take a closer look at performance before renewing contracts.

"This is a common theme here in Bucyrus; it's not what you know; it's who you know," Frazier said.

Frazier, who said she was a star athlete during her own years as a Bucyrus High School student, was accompanied by her father at the meeting.

At the end of her remarks, Pudge Hargis, head coach of the district's varsity softball team, spoke up: "That's the biggest bunch of (expletive) I've heard in I don't know how long."

A heated exchange followed, and Hargis and Frazier's father were asked to leave the room.

● Pam Kalb, Crawford County director of the LifeWise Academy, spoke to board members about the program, which has been offered to Bucyrus students for two years now. Kalb said the group would like to expand the "Bible-based character education program" next year.

ggoble@gannett.com

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This article originally appeared on Bucyrus Telegraph-Forum: Bucyrus graduation rate above 94%, principal tells school board