Class in session: What's new this year for Wayne, Ashland and Holmes schools

Rachel Karas, The Daily Record

August 15, 2022 at 5:40 AM·3 min read

Pens and pencils? Check.

Paper and folders? Check.

Extra cup of coffee to get through the long day? Double check for teachers and staff.

As August comes along, teachers and students alike will pack their bags with all the supplies they need for the 2022-'23 school year.

School administrators in Ashland, Holmes and Wayne counties are sharing what they have been up to over the summer from buildings fixes to curriculum updates. Here's what students and teachers can expect when they walk through the doors.

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Building updates galore in Southeast, Northwestern and Crestview school districts

Some schools, such as Northwestern Middle School in the Northwestern Local District and Holmesville Elementary in the Southeast Local School District, needed repairs before the new year.

Ceiling tiles, flooring and additional technology updates were installed in Holmesville Elementary over the summer while the gym and some roofing in Northwestern Middle School got repairs after water damage.

All three schools in the Crestview Local School District needed roof work and the district was also able to update parts of the stadium, too.

Triway, Hillsdale and Southeast Local schools saw progress on their new districtwide buildings that are expected to be completed over the next few years.

Construction of the Rittman Early Learning Center for preschoolers in Rittman Exempted Village Schools has begun with the hope of being completed this school year.

The heating, ventilation and air conditioning systems at Dalton High School and Orrville High School were updated over the summer. Wooster completed the first phase of a two-part installation of its HVAC system at Edgewood Middle School.

Curriculum changes and equipment upgrades

A new literary program will be coming to all Northwestern and Crestview schools for the upcoming school year. Crestview students will also see additional STEM courses offered.

Green Local Schools will introduce a new math curriculum at the elementary school.

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Several districts – including Northwestern, Wooster, Ashland City and Hillsdale – purchased additional Chromebooks, with Ashland City buying 1,525 of the computers.

Triway installed Smartboards to several middle school – formally junior high – classrooms while Orrville replaced several Smartboards with Clevertouch boards, which have different capabilities than Smartboards.

New buses will arrive at Dalton later this year and Ashland City will also eventually get six new buses after ordering them this summer.

COVID numbers creep up, but schools are prepared

Information from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention shows the COVID levels across the area have gone up.

As of Aug. 12, Ashland County is listed as high-risk for transmission and Holmes and Wayne counties are both at medium risk levels.

School officials say they do not have specific COVID protocols in place but with prior experience in virtual learning and hybrid schedules, they feel students and staff are ready to transition if the need arises.

"We plan to operate our school as we would have pre-COVID," Crestview Local Schools Superintendent Jim Grubbs said. "With that said, we will continue many good cleaning and disinfecting practices that came about due to COVID."

Local health officials are asking everyone to be cautious and try to avoid coming in contact with those who have tested positive for COVID-19.

Prevention measures such as getting the vaccine and booster shots are important ways for people to help protect themselves and their children, Wayne County Health Commissioner Nick Cascarelli said.