Board allows students to attend school, but says district cannot afford to help pay their way

By PAMELA WILLIS

After twice tabling the issue, the Worthington school board unanimously agreed to participate in the new Metro School, but will not pay even a portion of the steep tuition price.

Board members met Monday evening at Worthington Park Elementary School.

The Metro High School is a cooperative effort of the Educational Council of Franklin County, Battelle Memorial Institute and Ohio State University. It will offer an accelerated core curriculum for freshman with a focus on math, science and technology, featuring "hands-on learning activities" and additional classes on the OSU campus, said Brad Mitchell, chief executive officer of the council.

Assistant Superintendent Paul Cynkar said four seats originally were reserved for Worthington students, but the final decision of the Metro School board based seats on per-pupil allocation, and Worthington is guaranteed three seats, with possibly more if all the seats don't fill.

Board members had balked at Metro School participation at two previous board meetings, not only because of the tuition price -- $5,800 per student annually -- but because some were not convinced of the value of the program over Worthington's program of study.

Board member David Bressman said Monday evening that he had further researched the Metro School opportunity.

"I went out with Mr. Cynkar to the Metro School and talked to personnel and the principal," Bressman said. "I was convinced of the merit of the school, but do have some concerns. I learned students will have to take three years of Spanish, because that is the only foreign language they offer.

"I was also concerned about the equity of the opportunity," Bressman said. "With only a few slots available, the opportunity did not seem to be offered to all eighth-graders. They told me they had up to six slots not filled, so that a few more slots could be available to Worthington students.

"Another concern is the fact their business model is based upon districts paying tuition."

Metro School officials said Battelle and OSU will pay some of the tuition costs per student, but they expected districts to send them the state dollars they receive for each student.

Board member Jennifer Best had pointed out at an earlier board meeting that what looks like $6,000 the schools receive from the state does not add up to that amount because of the reduction factors of state funding. The amount comes closer to $1,500 per student, Best said.

Best said Monday that the district cannot afford to pay the tuition.

"It could cost $92,000 to sent four students to the Metro School, and I don't think that is a good amount for us to think of paying right now," Best said. "We do want to make sure kids have the opportunity to participate, but at no additional cost to the district."

Cynkar said five Worthington students already have applied to the school and one has been selected.

Board members passed the resolution with the caveat that the district will pay no part of the tuition cost. Parents consequently will have to come up with the $5,800 per year if they want their child to participate.

Celebrating diversity

Because Monday's meeting was held at Worthington Park, Principal Joy Tremmel welcomed board members with a student presentation that demonstrated the cultural diversity of the school.

"We love that our school has a rich cultural diversity and we try to weave global connections into nearly everything we do," Tremmel said.

Tremmel said the school has 31 children in the English as a Second Language program and 81 students speak a language at home other than English.

Twenty-one Worthington Park students stood in front of board members, many dressed in their native country's formal dress, and said "Hello to Worthington Park" in their native languages.

One student said, "We come from more than 13 countries and five continents, but we are all Park Sharks."

The students also recited a poem, written by teacher Ruth Zook for the occasion, called The World is a Circle.