June 30, 2011
Ohio Department of Education report card
Bexley schools earn highest rating By JEFF DONAHUE ThisWeek Community Newspapers
According to preliminary results, the Bexley City School District has earned top honors on the Ohio Department of Education’s annual report card for 2010-11. Bexley City Schools met all of the state indicators for the school year. All of the district’s five
schools received an “Excellent” rating and a performance indicator greater than 100. Final results on the ODE report card are expected to be released in the Fall. The Performance Index is based on the average of all students’test scores in the district; if every student scored at the advanced level, the Performance Index would be 120. The overall district state indicator was 105.8,
higher than the past two years, according to Anne Hyland, the district’s director of curriculum and instruction. “Some 92 percent of Bexley students are scoring at proficient or better on these state assessments,” Hyland said. Last year, 90.1 percent of students were at this level. Even more impressive, 67.2 percent of the district’s students scored at the two highest achieve-
ment levels — accelerated and advanced, compared to 62.9 percent who scored at those levels last year. The results are expected to help Bexley Schools maintain elite status. The district should achieve an “Excellent with Distinction” rating for the 11th year in a row. Hyland said staff members “make this a great place for students to be engaged in enticing and thought-provoking learning activities each day.”
Chief fears jump in crime if police budget is cut
KEEPING AN EYE ON THINGS
By JEFF DONAHUE ThisWeek Community Newspapers
By Eric George/ThisWeek
(From left) Columbus School for Girls’ Allyson Coble, 14, and Lauren Gerber, 17, work together to drive their robot during the second annual Connect a Million Minds Robotics Invitational at South High School on June 25. For the past 10 years, high school students from the Columbus School for Girls (CSG) have teamed up with engineering students from The Ohio State University (OSU) to design and build a competition robot. They spend their winter evenings and weekends working toward the final goal of competing in the FIRST Robotics competition, one that includes 49 regional events and one national event, involving over 2,000 other high-school teams. The FIRST program brings together the nation’s leading companies and universities in a united effort to introduce young minds to the wonders of science, technology and engineering. During a six-week “Build Season” in January and February, the high school girls and their engineering student mentors work together to completely design, build, test, and ship the robot. The team then travels to one or two competitions where the autonomous and remote-controlled robot competes against other teams from around the world.
Music, fireworks on tap for Bexley’s July 4 celebration By JEFF DONAHUE ThisWeek Community Newspapers
The Bexley Independence Day celebration will get started a day early this year when the Bexley United Methodist Church hosts a special community worship service and after-service event at 10 a.m., Sunday, July 3, at 2657 E. Broad St. The outdoor event, dubbed “God & Country: Community Worship and Celebration,” will feature an inspirational music program, food, and fun and games for all ages, including a cornhole tournament. The event is open to the public. For more information, call the
al Independence Day parade, sponby the Bexley Celebrations A closer look sored Association. The parade begins at 9:30 a.m. in front of the MaryOn July 3, Bexley United land Avenue Elementary School Methodist Church will hold and will follow a 2.8-mile route an outdoor event, dubbed through the city. “God & Country: Community The theme of the parade is “Out Worship and Celebration.” It of many, one.” will feature an inspirational Capt. Robert Doremus (U.S. music program, food, and fun Navy, retired) will serve as the and games for all ages, in- grand marshal. Doremus is the recluding a cornhole tourna- cipient of five military awards inment. The event is open to cluding two Silver Stars, the Lethe public. gion of Merit with Combat “V,” the Legion of Merit, and the Prischurch office at (614) 231-2781 oner of War Medal. The Bexley fireworks show or visit www.BexleyUMC.org. Festivities get under way the takes place at Capital University morning of July 4 with the annu- that evening.
The evening will include food from local restaurants (5 to 9:45 p.m.) and games for children on the front lawn of Capital University. Admission is free. Children will be able to enjoy a rock-climbing wall and games such as cornhole and carry-theegg. A large arts and crafts section with face painting will also be available. Two Bexley-based bands will also play. Music in the Meadow begins at 5 p.m., playing orchestra music. Big Rockin’Blues Band starts at 6:45 p.m. At 8:10 p.m., the Citizen of the Year award will be presented to Susan Quinten, See FOURTH, page A3
As the city of Bexley struggles to find a solution to its pending budget crisis, Police Chief Larry Rinehart says the dollars invested in his department are paying dividends to the community. City council is considering using a combination of an increase in the city income tax and reductions in operating expenses to balance the city’s budget over the next five years. Rinehart says if cuts are made in the police budget, he fears increased crime would result. “One of my concerns in this current budget discussion is that if we cut proactive police patrol and/or reduce our aggressive investigation of misdemeanor crime,
we will ultimately see an increase in violent crime,” Rinehart said. “In other words, when Larry Rinehart we quit addressing the smaller issues as well, the larger, more violent issues increase. I believe that trend has been proven across the country time and time again.” Rinehart said he is concerned that some think the city police budget can be trimmed. “Unfortunately some believe that the dollars saved by reducing patrol officers and/or detectives far outweighs the reduction See BUDGET, page A2
Langner among candidates for job in Canal Winchester By MICHAEL J. MAURER ThisWeek Community Newspapers
Bruce Langner, Bexley’s economic development director, is among the 14 candidates who have submitted applications to be Canal Winchester’s fifth economic development director. The position opened up in the past month when Chris Strayer announced he had accepted a post with the Ohio Department of Development, which is undergoing a privatization process promoted by Gov. John Kasich. Langner, a Westerville resident, earned a master’s degree in city and regional planning from Ohio State University. Langner had no comment on the Canal Winchester job when contacted by ThisWeek Bexley. Other applicants are:
• Skip Allman, Mansfield, until May 11, executive director of the United Way of Richland County. Bruce He studied Langner journalism at the University of Oklahoma. • Benjamin Amick, Gahanna, until May, funding specialist for Bird Houk consultants. He earned a master’s degree in public administration from the University of Akron. • Gary M. Beggrow, Marietta, Ga., until March 2011, manager with Bee Line Aligning Service. He attended Ohio Dominican University, studying See LANGNER, page A3
Youth helping with Montrose garden this summer Jennifer Tipple, a Montrose Elementary School parent, has recruited some young helpers for the Bexley Community Garden this summer. The PTO volunteer has been instrumental in establishing Montrose’s PTO Sharing Garden in the Community Garden plot off of East Livingston
Avenue. This is the third growing season for residents who have been cultivating some 40 plots in the Bexley Community Garden, located on a site donated by the city in 2009. The garden was created with a push from interested residents, as well as from the
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Bexley Tree and Public Gardens Commission and commission member Ginny Salamy, a landscape architect. “We started the PTO Sharing Garden last year with the basic hope that if students had the opportunity to grow veggies they would be more willing to eat or try veggies,” Tipple said.
Montrose second- and third-graders have planted the garden in the past. Tipple’s children, who will enter first and fifth grades this fall, are involved as well. On Wednesday evenings, children come to help with garden chores, like watering and weeding. Tipple said that, on Wednesday evenings during
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the summer, there are usually a handful of students, mostly neighborhood kids who are around at that time. For more information about the garden, contact Amy Thompson, Bexley Schools Public Information Coordinator at keycommunicator@bexleyschools.org or at (614) 352-7461.
Still looking for fun things to do with your money? Find things to do for $10 or less with the Cheap Thrills blog at www.ThisWeekNews.com.