LIMA, OH (WLIO) - Next week is Celebrate Public Schools Week, and Lima City Schools want the community and state lawmakers to know that quality education can come from a public setting.
Senior Noelle Warnement has enjoyed her time at Lima City Schools because of all the opportunities that she has had.
"I love that I get to be a Spartan because it's a very inclusive environment and it's so diverse, and I love that about our school," says Senior Noelle Warnement. "And there are so many opportunities that any student can take advantage of. They can take advantage of the college classes that they provide. You can be a part of the National Honor Society. You can do the arts. You can partake in a lot of our career techs at the high school."
Hunter Castle says besides the variety of activities he does, Lima Senior's Career Tech program has prepared him to enter the workforce when he graduates.
"I am part of the welding program, and it's bettering and readying me for a job since last year," says Senior Hunter Castle. "This year, we took our certs and got our certifications for our qualifications. So, I am just ready to go out and make the money I can."
Superintendent Jill Ackerman says they keep raising awareness of Public Schools Week to talk about the successes in the school district because the naysayers continue to talk about the negatives. She says the community has been very supportive of the school district and public education, but state lawmakers have not. The general assembly continues to expand the voucher program, which allows any student in a public school district to attend private schools using state money. Lima City Schools was one of the first schools to sign on to a lawsuit against the voucher program, and she adds that the program diverted away from its original intent.
"I really would like the community to take an opportunity to kind of dive into that voucher information," says Ackerman. "And really look at the demographics as to where those vouchers are going. The original intent of serving students in urban environments, struggling schools is gone. This is just a wide-open opportunity for people to take taxpayer dollars into a private setting that has no accountability for anything, including finances, academics, teacher certification. And really, as a taxpayer, to stop and wonder, Where are my dollars going and how are people being held accountable for spending my tax dollars?"
To show the public what Lima City Schools is all about, they are holding a district-wide open house on March 26 at Lima Senior from 5 p.m. until 7 p.m. There will be activities, demonstrations, and games to showcase what their students are doing in a public school setting.
