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Pharmacy Science program starts this fall



COPLEY— A new Pharmacy Science program will be offered at Copley High School for the 2021-22 school year.
The Copley-Fairlawn City Schools Board of Education approved the program, the most recent Four Cities Compact Program offering, at its March 16 meeting.
The Four Cities Compact is a career technical program partnership among the Copley-Fairlawn, Barberton, Norton and Wadsworth school districts.
“I’d like to thank Mr. [Assistant Superintendent Brian] Williams for his work bringing this program,” said Superintendent Brian Poe of the new Pharmacy Science program. “We were going to start this program last year, but we couldn’t because of COVID[-19].”
Copley High School Principal Eric Smith said the program would be held in a classroom close to the high school’s Animal Care and Science program, another Four Cities Compact program.
The board also approved the employment of Pharmacy Science teacher Katherine Amos.
Poe called the Four Cities Compact offerings, both at Copley High School and at the other participating high schools, a “strong program.”
“These students are leaving these programs with very bright futures,” said Poe, pointing specifically to four recent Animal Care and Science graduates who received full-ride scholarships to veterinary school.
Also at the meeting, Poe reported COVID-19 cases and quarantines have continued to decline both in the district and across Summit County.
“In the past two weeks we have had four staff members and four students,” Poe said. “We are still meeting weekly with Summit County Public Health and they have said the numbers are down and we hope they stay down.”
However, Poe said, health department officials have cautioned that a spike in cases could be possible in early April due to “[virus] variants and loosening of some restrictions.”
“So we will continue to maintain our strict protocols,” Poe said.
He also noted the recent installation of air filters in 250 classrooms, which recirculate air every 30 minutes and eliminate “99.9 percent” of viruses and irritants — including COVID-19 — from the room. Poe said the district has additional air filters on order to be installed in remaining classrooms in the district, adding the units will be helpful not only against coronavirus, but to students who have any upper respiratory ailments.
In other business, the board accepted a $2,500 donation from Copley High School baseball parent Joel Hamsher for the purchase of an equipment shed to be constructed at the high school baseball field.
The board will next meet April 20 at 5:30 p.m. in the main office conference room at Copley High School, 3807 Ridgewood Road.