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LORAIN COUNTY
AMHERST NEWS-TIMES • OBERLIN NEWS-TRIBUNE • WELLINGTON ENTERPRISE Thursday, March 4, 2021
www.lcnewspapers.com
Volume 8, Issue 9
Sayers to lead Amherst Schools into 2024 JASON HAWK EDITOR
AMHERST — Steve Sayers will continue as superintendent of the Amherst Schools through July 31, 2024. His contract, which was already in place through next summer, was extended last week by the Board of Education. "In the last year, our leadership
team has completely reinvented how we deliver education and care for the social-emotional well-being of our children, and we did it so quickly, with minimal disruptions," said board President Ron Yacobozzi in a statement about the decision. He said the school board was pleased with Sayers' leadership, which he credited with playing a major role in improving the Amherst Schools' academics, finan-
Student charged after Firelands bomb threat
cial picture, facilities and technology. Keeping Sayers in the superintendent's office will help get the district Steve Sayers through the end of the pandemic and the dicey years of recovery that follow, Yacobozzi
said. Amherst has weathered the COVID crisis better than many other districts, he said — now it needs to plan for "a better, calmer future." Sayers said that like many people, he's done a lot of thinking and reflecting over the past year while watching the community pull together. "What it's done for me is to reinforce how much I enjoy being here, and how much I enjoy what it
is that I do," he said. After serving as superintendent of the Southeast Local Schools, Sayers was hired by Amherst in mid-2008. He officially retired several years ago and was rehired by the district at a lower salary. His current contract is for $102,706 per year. The rate through 2024 will be decided at a later date, according to the Board of Education.
No pain, just relief
JASON HAWK EDITOR
HENRIETTA TWP. — A student allegedly admitted to making a bomb threat Monday that caused the evacuation of Firelands' schools. The threat was made via a text message to a Firelands High School student around 11 a.m., according to a statement from Detective Lt. Robert Vansant Jr. of the Lorain County Sheriff's Office. Some 1,200 to 1,300 children were ushered out of the high school and elementary complex on Vermilion Road, as well as South Amherst Middle School. "In today's world, until proven otherwise, we take all threats seriously. Due to how this threat was worded, (it) prompted us to evacuMike ate all buildings," said SuperintenVon Gunten dent Mike Von Gunten. No explosives or other weapons were found when deputies swept the facilities, he said. Evacuated students were bused to Open Door Christian School in Elyria Township, where they waited out the emergency indoors. Von Gunten said staff did an excellent job keeping children calm, and thanked Open Door for providing a place of refuge. "It certainly was an unfortunate day, but it demonstrated the power of teamwork in spite of a difficult FIRELANDS PAGE A3
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Bruce Bishop | Chronicle
Nurse Jessica Patton administers a COVID-19 vaccination to Michael Scott, assistant superintendent for school improvement for Lorain Schools, on Friday.
Lorain County teachers get their first COVID-19 shots JASON HAWK, LAINA YOST and ANGELO ANGEL
Kaitlyn Gray said there wasn’t the slightest pain when the COVID-19 shot slid into her arm. “It didn’t feel like a needle,” the Wellington Schools psychologist said. “It felt like it was spring action. It didn’t hurt at all.” Gray was one of the 6,400-odd school employees from across Lorain County who were vaccinated Friday. Lines were short and moved fast during five large-scale clinics held at the Lorain County JVS, Lorain High School, Elyria High School, North Ridgeville Academic Center and
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Center of Lorain County. He served as a liaison, helping school districts coordinate the vaccinations. Teachers and other school employees felt a sense of relief after getting COVID-19 vaccinations, he said, “because people just feel like it’s a step in the direction of getting back to normal.” That’s certainly how Elyria Schools food service employee Michelle Alexander felt: “I can’t describe it. I got goosebumps when I walked in. It was such a relief,” she said. “After a year of this — kids not being in school, everything not normal — it takes away some of the worry.” TEACHERS PAGE A3
INSIDE THIS WEEK
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Avon Middle School. About 1,200 people were vaccinated at each location. Arlinda Keaton, a paraprofessional at Lorain High School, agreed with Gray that the shot was “very easy. I felt a little tiny pinch, and that was it — but it didn’t hurt, not at all,” she said. Nor was getting the COVID-19 vaccine a tough decision. Keaton said her daughter has an autoimmune disease, and getting the shot was worth it to protect the people she loves, both at home and work. At Elyria High School, applause broke out after the very first shots were given, said Franco Gallo, superintendent of the Educational Service
Amherst
Oberlin
Wellington
With $47M budget, city plans big projects • B1
College takes heat for Black History Month event • B1
Historic church to dissolve after pastor’s death • B1
OBITUARIES A2 • CLASSIFIEDS A4 • CROSSWORD B2 • SUDOKU B2 • KID SCOOP B6