DISTRICT NEWS HEIGHTS HIGH SCHOOL
MONTICELLO, BOULEVARD, OXFORD
Heights High’s head football coach Mac Stephens has the same goal he’s always had as a coach: to change lives. “We develop players academically, socially and athletically,” he says of the high school coaching staff who recently launched the Build the Bridge program to break down racial stereotypes and barriers between football teams of different backgrounds. Build the Bridge pairs teams of different racial, socio-economic, religious or geographic backgrounds so they can connect with one another and discover that they likely have more in common than just a love of football. The program has received recognition from the National Football League and more than 60 school teams across five states have already signed up to participate.
One of the most exciting things about the start of the year for students is meeting new people and making new friends. Remote learning poses a particular challenge for students, especially those in transition grades, who haven’t yet had the chance to meet their new peers. Tiger Nation schools have found creative ways to connect while staying safe. Monticello Middle’s physical education teacher Desi Stewart wanted to give 6th graders “the opportunity to interact in a safe way, so there are familiar faces when they return to school.” So, Mr. Stewart organized a socially distanced ‘Kickball Kickoff.’ Boulevard Elementary proudly marched in a ‘Superhero Spirit Cruise’ where families either cruised slowly through the parking lot or walked according to social distancing guidelines, greeted teachers, waved signs and enjoyed individually packaged snacks. Oxford Elementary welcomed its families and community to a drive-in movie screening of Disney’s Coco at the school. Popcorn and concessions were available.
HEIGHTS HIGH SCHOOL
ROXBORO ELEMENTARY
Heights High Football “Build the Bridge” for Change
Heights High Sees Increase AP Students, Test Scores CH-UH is putting its Equity Policy to good use, addressing long-standing issues of academic disparities head-on. In 2015, Heights High took a hard look at its twenty-one Advanced Placement courses and discovered that, in a building where the vast majority of students are black, the most rigorous classes were almost entirely white. The wheels were thus set in motion for a systemic change at Heights High. It took the concerted effort of administrators, teachers and students to get to an achievement level that has resulted in three years of great news. Last fall, Heights was one of nine schools in Ohio to be named to the AP Honor Roll, which recognizes buildings that increase AP participation without a significant reduction in scores. In 2020, Heights High boasted a nearly 20% increase in the number of students earning a score of 3 or higher on AP exams, the standard for earning college credit. 52 students were named as AP Scholars by CollegeBoard for earning scores of 3 on three or more exams. These results have been eye-opening. Dr. McKinnie believes that even more Heights students can do at least that well, saying “it’s not our job to be gate-keepers,” but to instead throw the doors wide open and “provide experiences and exposures early on. We must keep equity at the center of all we do.”
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THE HEIGHTS MAGAZINE
Schools Make Socially Distanced Connections
Celebrates “Start With Hello” Week
Roxboro Elementary had an amazing week celebrating “Start With Hello!” this October. Start With Hello Week was established by the Sandy Hook Promise foundation to raise awareness and educate students on how to reduce social isolation and create a more connected and inclusive school and community overall. This is more important now than ever due to the fact that we can’t be physically together. Students at Roxboro Elementary were encouraged to participate in random acts of kindness and spread positivity by writing positive messages and emails to their classmates and teachers. They were also encouraged to pen positive messages to their family members at home.
