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Sixth-graders will move to Junior School in 2014/15 Savings: $250,000 a year for at least 5 years
All fifth-graders in the Southwest School District will be the first class in the jawad@registerpublications.com modern educational era to join the seventh- and eight-graders at the Junior School in Harrison starting this August. The five-person school board unanimously approved the new structure Thursday, March 20, over the protest of some parents and others who made passionate pleas for the board to scrap the plan or restructure it, primarily the projected daily starting time of 7:15 a.m. Others, who support the plan, however, said the proposed system’s perceived educational benefits far outweigh the possible downside. About 80 people attended the meeting at Harrison Elementary School. About eight spoke against the plan and three for it. Nevertheless, board members’ comments made it clear the administration’s plan would fly based upon educational merit. Joe Awad Harrison Press Editor
Major money savings
The deal was sealed when District Treasurer Steve Bain, in response to a question from Board President Jeff Biddle, revealed the new alignment would save Southwest about $500,000 a year for at least five years staring in 2015-16, mainly because nine teachers and several classified staff members will retire at the end of this school year. Superintendent Chris Brown, however, said educational not financial - reasons drove the proposal. The administration’s plan met some resistance, particularly from parents of Whitewater Elementary students, over the projected starting time, and social concerns including exposing sixth-graders to conduct of seventh- and eight-graders before and after school and while on the bus. Other objections centered around studies that show sixthgrade performance wanes in a junior high school environment; “king-of-the-hill” idea that this group of fifth-graders would not enjoy their sixth-grade year as upperclassmen; sixth-graders will find ways to intermingle with seventh- and eight-graders despite being isolated on the top floor of the Junior School, and sixth-graders will get home while parents still are working. The administration, and some board members, countered there are studies that support the threegrade junior high approach; teachers would concentrate on fields of expertise which would result Southwest Schools in comprehensive learning; more Board President Jeff resources would be available to Biddle posed several insightful questions to students and teachers; the change would be in conjunction with the Superintendent Chris nation’s Common Core Standards, Brown and Assistant and “teaming” would promote acaSuperintendent John demic interaction among teachers Hamstra. and students.
Q &A
When push came to shove, Biddle took the lead, asking Brown and Assistant Superintendent John Hamstra several germane questions. Brown responded the school could handle the influx of about 250 sixth-graders for at least five years and classes would contain 25 to 27 students. Regarding Biddle’s inquiry about the 7:15 a.m. starting time for the junior high, Brown responded: “I know you guys don’t want to hear research, but research shows high school kids should sleep longer. My thought with the high school (starting) later is, one, they all drive now. Especially, in the winter, I would much rather it be lighter for our high school drivers. Plus, it gives us time if we have to clean lots or whatever. It gives a high school kid light for when they get on the road,” said Brown. The earlier starting time for SEE SIXTH GRADE, junior high students, recomPAGE 10 mended by transportation direcCopyright Register Publications, 2014
89th Year, No. 13
Four named to high school hall of fame, Pg.8
PHOTOS BY PATRICIA HUELSEMAN/HARRISON PRESS
Top: Diane Johnson has been restoring the 14 stations of the cross, which depict the passion and death of Jesus, since October 2013. The 12th station, the crucifixion, is her favorite. “It’s simple. The crucifixion speaks for itself, so I didn’t put a lot of detail, background, distractions … symbolically, there’s a lot to it for me.” Bottom: Johnson is nearing completion of her project. The experience has been a blessing, she said.
Stations of Cross restored Diane is a published phuelseman@registerpublications.com illustrator working from her art studio at Miamitown Art Studios off Ohio 128. Most recently, however, she has been tasked with a very different art project. Since October 2013, Johnson has been diligently working at restoring a stations of the cross set she believes is more than 100 years old. The stations, 14 images that depict the Passion of Christ, originally hung in a church in Michigan but when the church was demolished, they found their way to the Immaculate Conception Catholic Church in Norwood. Though Johnson has been a parishioner there for several years, she hadn’t Patricia Huelseman Johnson Harrison Press Staff Writer
been approached to restore the stations until Father Greenwell, the presider, saw her work in a contest called The Apocalypse.
Love at first sight
“He saw my entries and fell in love with them, and he told me I was the artist he was looking for,” said Johnson. Greenwell had the stations for about seven years. Johnson received the pieces in October and immediately set to work. They were all painted but the original colors where what Johnson described as muted. “Each piece, I had to strip down and clean them, strip them, sand them, prime them, and then you know, start coloring them,” she said.
STATIONS, SEE PAGE 10
Most ticket fines going up Joe Awad Harrison Press Editor
jawad@registerpublications.com
Depending on the infraction, tickets for breaking driving laws and misdemeanors have increased or decreased following a unanimous vote to alter the fee schedule by Harrison City Council Tuesday, March 18. The rubber meets the road, however, in specific categories that effect
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most everyday motorists. For instance, speeding in a school zone jumps from $86 to $125 if you travel 1-20 mph over the posted limit. Breaking the law will cost you $150 if you exceed the speed limit by 35 mph or more, compared to the former $156; good news/bad news. Speed violations outside a school zone now costs $120 if you break the law by 1-20 mph, compared to $86 in
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the old structure. Violations of 35 mph or over dropped $6 from $156 to $150. Some minor misdemeanors jump from $85 to $145. This category consists of open alcohol containers, failure to obey an arrest notice, and failure to obey a mayor’s court order. Another category of misdemeanors
FINES, SEE PAGE 10
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As she began to strip the old paint, Johnson noticed a stamp somewhere, though not uniformly, on every single piece. The stamp read “Depratos.” She explained the Daprato family came from Italy and settled in New York, opening a studio devoted to conserving statuary, stained glass, and religious art for the church. The company, which was started in 1860, later expanded to Chicago. Johnson determined that these particular pieces date to the late 1800s-early 1900s. “The figures themselves are just magnificent,” said Johnson, adding
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