In 2009, Revere’s 10th-grade students increased their scores in all five categories of the Ohio Graduation Tests (OGT), which are annual achievement tests required by the Ohio Department of Education.

At a June 23 meeting of the Revere Local Schools Board of Education, Andy LaBadie, the district’s director of instruction, said that while Revere students have always scored well on the OGTs, this year students scored in higher tiers across the board.

The district student passage rates on each test are as follows: 94 percent in reading, 97 percent in math, 98 percent in writing, 94 percent in science and 96 percent in social studies.

LaBadie also reported that next year the high school will be implementing a new plan for certain standardized tests. On the first day of testing in October, ninth-graders will take the EXPLORE test, 10th-graders will take the PLAN test and 11th-graders will take the PSAT.

The tests will be administered in the morning, while the afternoon will include a career fair and career speaker sessions. Seniors will be excused from school that day but will be required to do college visits or career shadow days.

LaBadie further reported the district’s World Language Committee has proposed adding courses in Mandarin Chinese to the district’s existing offerings in American Sign Language, French, German, Latin and Spanish on the high school and middle school levels.

The committee also wants the district to conduct feasibility studies on adding an exploratory world language class for seventh-graders and on implementing a world language curriculum for kindergarten through sixth grade.

In other news, the board approved permanent appropriations for the 2009-10 school year of $41.5 million. David Forrest, Revere’s treasurer and chief financial officer, noted the general fund accounts for $31.5 million of total appropriations.

Forrest said the permanent improvement fund will contain $2.1 million at the beginning of the year, which the district intends to use toward construction of a new bus garage and other capital improvements and repairs.

Forrest said he believes the district is in good shape financially. He cautioned, however, that Revere may experience challenges once details are finalized for Gov. Ted Strickland’s education funding reform plans.

Forrest also noted the district faces a 27 percent increase in health care costs for the coming year due to significant claims in the prior year. Forrest said Revere had unusually low increases of zero percent to 7 percent during the past seven years. Revere is self-insured, with Anthem Blue Cross Blue Shield as the third party administrator, which has allowed the district to compile a $1.6 million reserve fund for health insurance expenses.

Incoming Superintendent Randy Boroff, who is working under a short-term contract until his official Aug. 1 start date, shared the presentation of agenda items to the board with Interim Superintendent Kathy Bearer. Bearer served as interim superintendent for the 2008-09 school year and is assistant superintendent for 2009-10. Boroff thanked the board and the administrative team as well as Bearer and Terry Snow, secretary to the superintendent, for their help in his transition to the job.

Items approved by the board include new student fees for 2009-10 as follows: $40 (a $5 increase) for Hillcrest and Bath elementary students, $50 (a $10 increase) for middle school students and $100 (a $25 increase) for high school students. Boroff noted the district is trying something different this year by increasing the fees but also giving students free admission to all home athletic events and using some of the money for arts funding.

Board President Christopher Kostoff said the board is “very supportive” of the new fee structure and expects increased attendance at home games. He said the board is excited that a portion of the funds will support the arts, which he called an important part of student development.

The board also approved:

• a district-wide Educational Technology Plan covering the next three school years. Boroff commended Ryan Lekan, Revere’s technology coordinator/director for his leadership in creating the plan;

• lunch prices for 2009-10 of $2.25 for Hillcrest Elementary School, $2.35 for Bath Elementary School and $2.50 for both the middle and high schools. The prices are the same as last year;

• a contract with PEP (Positive Education Program) for 20 days of consultative services for students with autism and behavioral challenges at a cost of $14,400, to be paid with federal funds;

• a contract with PRN Therapy Services Inc. for physical therapy services for the 2009-10 school year at a rate of $67.20 per hour; and

• the hiring of a new middle school teacher, Patrick DiCaprio, who will teach language arts and math. Marisa Bavaro, director of operations, said Revere currently has two open positions: a fourth-grade teacher at Bath Elementary and an intervention specialist for Hillcrest Elementary.

Also at the meeting, Sue Chute, director of Student Services, announced Revere will participate in a program called ADAP (Adolescent Depression Awareness Program) that was developed at Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore. Revere High School counselors will teach ADAP as part of ninth-grade health courses. Chute said Revere was one of only two districts chosen for expansion of the program into Ohio. Currently the program is only available in Baltimore and Washington, D.C.

Prior to the business portion of the meeting, the board recognized three groups of Revere Middle School students for their recent achievements: Chess Club, Science Olympiad and Power of the Pen.

The next school board meeting is set for July 21 at 5:30 p.m. at the board’s Administrative Office, 3496 Everett Road.