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Lordstown OKs shared-service contracts

LORDSTOWN — The Lordstown Board of Education renewed a shared-services contract with the LaBrae Local School District for website services at its meeting this week.

The board also approved a new shared career-based intervention program (CBI) with Newton Falls Exempted Village Schools.

When Terry Armstrong became superintendent at Lordstown five years ago, he said the school district didn’t have much of a web presence.

“I approached LaBrae because I liked their website,” Armstrong said.

He met with LaBrae Superintendent A. J. Calderone and the school district’s information technology director. LaBrae agreed to design Lordstown’s website and host it, which it has done ever since.

“Our cost is minimal,” Armstrong said noting that it cost less than $100 last year.

He also arranged for a CBI with Newton Falls, where junior high and high school students attend school for a half day, then work for the other half. Newton Falls students take classes on interview and employability skills. If they don’t have a job yet, CBI teacher Greg Lazzari helps them find work.

Newton Falls gave Lordstown seniors five spots. These students have jobs and will take English and math classes at Lordstown.

“We are thrilled to begin this partnership with Newton Falls. At this time, a shared service would be the only way Lordstown could offer this opportunity,” Armstrong said.

Additionally, a new STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) Center was added to the elementary school this summer.

“I’m really excited about the STEM Center,” said Armstrong, noting it will provide a space for teachers and students to engage in project-based learning.

In a related matter, Lordstown Elementary School has been selected to be the OH WOW! Week school for the week of Sept. 23. This entails students in kindergarten through sixth grade visiting the OH WOW! center in downtown Youngstown, and educators from the center will be visiting the elementary school to engage students in the new STEM center.

“We’ve really had a busy summer,” the superintendent said.

Armstrong noted that enrollment has been steady for the last seven years, with a slight drop this year.

“We lost between 10 and 20 students this year, and we attribute that to the GM Lordstown plant closing,” he said.

The school district’s enrollment is about 500.

The next board meeting is 6 p.m. Sept. 25 at the high school media center.

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