On the Towpath Trail: What we know about new high school campus in Barberton
A dropout recovery school that operates campuses in Akron and Springfield Township has opened a campus location in Barberton.
Towpath Trail High School, operated by Akron-based Oakmont Education, opened Feb. 28 and has been building its enrollment since then, said Barberton campus Director Matt Arshinkoff.
Towpath is considered a dropout prevention and recovery community school by the Ohio Department of Education, focusing on students who haven't found success in traditional schools.
Students who graduate receive a high school diploma, not a GED certificate, said Arshinkoff.
"This isn't a school for 'bad kids,' " Arshinkoff said. "… They don't fit the cookie-cutter mold."
Here's what we know.
Where is this new school?
Oakmont has invested about $2 million to open the Towpath campus at the site of a former Key Bank location on Wooster Road West, Arshinkoff said. The company expanded the site from 3,900 square feet to about 14,500 square feet, adding classrooms, offices, a and a lobby.
What is different about Towpath?
Traditional subjects are taught, but students are encouraged to pick a skill in which they can earn a certificate.
Towpath Barberton offers certificates in advanced manufacturing, health care, business and construction.
The training is designed to provide job opportunities after graduation, Arshinkoff said.
"(Students) don't have to take a career tech," he said. "(But) if you're here … why not get your certificate?"
The school offers morning and afternoon sessions that start at 7:30 a.m. and 11:30 a.m., respectively.
What is Oakmont Education?
The Akron company operates about 10 schools throughout Ohio, including the three Towpath Trail campuses. It describes its purpose as an organization "founded to provide opportunity youth with a variety of pathways for transforming their lives."
Last year, the company was a finalist for the Forbes-linked Yass Prize, an annual award that recognizes innovation and performance with underserved students.
How many students are in Towpath?
Arshinkoff said the high school's Akron and Springfield Township locations each have more than 200students. He's hoping for about 230 to 250 at the Barberton campus.
How big is the staff?
Arshinkoff said the school currently has 11 employees and will add more as enrollment rises.
Phyl Divine, who teaches business and entrepreneurship, said he moved to education after a careerin business. Students, he said, are often money-motivated and want to know how to succeed. But they aren't familiar with business protocols.
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"They want to work the way they want to work," he said. "(But) the kids also know they need to adjust."
Anna Andrews, who has a background in both education and business, teaches science. She was drawn by the opportunity to create something new for students, she said.
"It's not often you get a chance to make a school," she said.
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Leave a message for Alan Ashworth at 330-996-3859 or email him at aashworth@gannett.com. Follow him on Twitter at @newsalanbeaconj.
This article originally appeared on Akron Beacon Journal: On the Towpath Trail: What we know about new high school in Barberton
