Amherst News-Times, 1999-06-09

              I Form
Former baseball star earns fame — Page 14     Martello marks anniversary — Page 7
Amherst News-Times
n
Wednesday. June 9.  1999
Amherst. Ohio
50 cents
r
Jubilant Marion L. Steele High School graduates toss their graduation caps into the air in a courtyard outside the Lorain Palace Theater mi nutes after the completion ot commencement ceremonies.
Class of 1999 bids farewell to school days
Two hundred eight-eight young
men and women said goodbye to
Marion L. Steele High School and
hello to the world daring commencement ceremonies at the Lorain Palace Theater on Sunday.
The theater was jammed with
1,300 parents, friends and spectators
as one by one students accepted
their diplomas' from board of educa-
Educator
returns
as Nord
principal
Two new school administrators
are returning home to take vacant
posts in the Amherst schools.
Michael Diamond, social studies
teacher at Nord Junior High School
from 1993-98, will become principal of the school beginning Aug. 2.
Wanda Warford, a graduate of
Marion L. Steele High School with
19 years of food service experience,
will become the new supervisor of
cafeteria services.
Both appointments were approved by die board of education on
May 24.
Diamond replaces William Mar-
ley, who is retiring as principal, and
Warford will succeed Barbara
Wolfe, who also is retiring.
Warford comes from the Olmsted
Palls school system, where she has
been food service supervisor since
1992. Diamond comes to Nord from
Burneson Middle School in West-
lake, where he is assistant principal.
Superintendent of schools Robert
Boynton said Diamond was selected
to replace Mariey because of his
prior experience at Nord and his familiarity with Us staff.
A resident of North Olmsted,
Diamond taught social studies in the
Cleveland schools from 1989 to
1993 before coming to Amherst
A graduate of Lorain Catholic
High School, he earned an education degree from Miami University
of Ohio and a juris doctorate degree
in law from Duquesne University in
Pittsburgh, Pa. He also has completed graduate courses for a certificate in education administration
from Cleveland State University.
A resident of Amhent, Warford
is the daughter of Amherst-area auto
COMTMUID on pegs •
tion and high school officials.
Among the speakers was valedictorian Erin Moennich, who said,
"Tne lessons we have learned go
beyond, geometry, English and
history."
"I truly believe that Steele's
teachers, parents and administrators
have given us the tools necessary to
face and overcome any obstacles
that we may encounter," she said.
She also noted the high academic
standards that have helped make the
school district*snd hjtgVsehool one
of the best in the state.
"Students know that it takes hard
work and dedication to succeed in
the Amherst system. Amherst teachers have high expectations and get
high results in return," she added.
Moennich, the daughter of James
and Debra Moennich, of 139 Westchester Dr., graduated with a 4.37
grade point average. *-
A member of the Steele tennis
team, Moennich plans to attend the
University of Michigan in Ann Arbor where she will major in business
with an emphasis in international
business.
After commencement, students
met in a courtyard outside the theater where they completed the ritual
with-»tradiiional cap toss followed
by hugs, and kisses and many
congratulations.
So many people spilled off the
sidewalk in front of the theater that
Lorain police were forced to temporarily close one northbound lane
-: ■-■■.'.■"■•"■■
All Ohio
St. Joseph School students Kelli Sheehan, Mate Mahony and     fourth grade course about Ohio history. Afterwards, they held a
Cody McCaty finish making posters they deskaned as part of a nsw    party with their classmates to celebrate their (earning achievement.
Committee to examine need for tax
of Broadway.
Prior to commencement activities, high school officials announced
the winners of individual
scholarships.
They are: Rachel Whitsel, David
Bourne Memorial Scholarship;
Angela Skeeles, Amherst Democra-
CONTiNUED on page 2
Students
earn high
test marks
Local school officials want to
achieve a 73 percent passing rate for
the state mandated ninth grade proficiency test in 2000. a 10 percent
improvement over this year's overall student results.
Sixty-three percent of the eighth
graders at Nord Junior High School
passed all five parts of the test given
earlier this year.
Assistant school superintendent
Timothy Logar, who oversees the
school district's curriculum and instruction program, called this year's
results "a significant improvement",
over the 56 percent passing rate last
year.
Amherst students ranked second
out of those in IS county school districts who took the test in March,
Avon Lake ranked first with a 76
percent passing rate for eighth graders who took all five parts of the
test: math, science, reading, writing
and citizenship.
Outgoing Nord principal William
Mariey issued a letter of congratulations to his staff and students on ths
improvements in die test
Wanted: people who want Amherst to have smooth streets with
strong bridges, good curbs and so
potholes.
This is probably how a want ad
recruiting a group of seven to 10 residents to promote a half-percent
street income tax levy might read if
it were placed in the newspaper.
City council has mayor John Higgins to noaninatri people to a citizens' -committee to study the assd
for a levy renewal, malm aa lads-
PCfatjCfll hXDOaft IO COUOCU 4W0 PaPOW*
ote the Isvy'a -passage this
November.
The mayor reminded council May
24 the nominations am needed so a
committee can ss formed and begin
studying the levy issue as soon as
poatibte, Renewal of ths 10-year
levy mast be sahsaaad to the Urate Coaafy Board of Elections by
Aug. 19 if his m be oa the November general election hale}.
1 don't want to teat dictate s
committee. I don't dank that's ths
propwwsytodotete-ssjdi
ate the facts," he explained.
In addition to promoting the
levy's passage, the committee wiU
be asked to verify the need for it
based on engineering information
provided by the city.
It will be asked to study the cost
*aJS>    assBe^amtm   eueeaist    a^amae^^a   a*mea^^mam    mm^aaww
since the levy was pasted te 1990
and forecast the repairs needed te
the eaat 10 years.
The chy contenis few street repairs can be made without the $1.$
by the levy annu
ally. Even though the levy does not
expire until Dec. 31, the chy must
wait one year after it is approved by
votesa before it can begin collecting
tax finds, the mayor explained.
This year the chy plans to spend
more than $800/100 oa repaying
and the replacement of several deteriorated catch bastes. The single
most costly project wil be dm ray.
heiiL.it-| ntmmm lark—am fpaa^tjaAAg.
aMrm  as   ^a^asBaS  van   sa^rapst*^*   *as*yassss  ssr •rsa^eiaaassaSafc
cxmmm> m seas •
Last year, 56 percent of
graders taking the teat passed ah]
five parts. The test does not have taj
be given until students are te thf
ninth grade. Regardless, Logar said
Amhent ia among the school die-
trictsthatgiv*ttintk«eigi>mgrad»^
This allows students who tail oae oil
more pans to retake them m ate*
or continue until they pats
"And, it's also
what they learned te five
eight aad how well ws have bssa
■"ha   ■" ■
system's goal is for a five to lOatj*
te am
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several yesnasoaBd-aM-messawat
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