The Cambridge City School District Board of Education received an update on the district’s goals established three years ago by the District Leadership Team. Danielle Eubanks, Director of Data and Testing, reported that the CCSD has made progress toward several goals.
For the past three years, the district has focused on the goals of reducing chronic absenteeism, reducing discipline referrals, increasing growth in ELA and math, and increasing the graduation rate.
According to the data presented by Eubanks, Cambridge Schools has made significant progress toward all these goals.
“We’ve shown tremendous growth and are definitely on the right track in every school building,” Eubanks said. “Our absenteeism improved as did our graduation rate and we are seeing drastic improvement in growth in math and ELA.”
In 2024, Cambridge High School saw its highest state graduation rate in several years improving to 95.1 percent for the class of 2024. In 2020 and 2021, the graduation rate was 81.4 percent.
According to Eubanks, the Federal Graduation Rate which includes students with disabilities has also increased. In 2024, 87.5 percent of students with disabilities graduated. That rate has not been higher than 68 percent in five years and was 10.7 percent in 2020.
Decreasing absenteeism, in particular chronic absenteeism, is another goal of the district. In 2024, Cambridge hit a post-covid low. Chronic absenteeism refers to students who miss more than 10 percent of the school year (approximately 18 days). All absences count for chronic absenteeism, excused and unexcused.
“We put an emphasis on attendance, especially at the Middle School and High School levels,” Eubanks explained. “Bringing attention to attendance makes students more aware of the importance of being in school.”
In addition, Billy Calvert, the attendance support person, meets individually with students that are in danger of surpassing the truancy threshold. Teams of teachers, administrators, and staff members at the high school and middle school are tracking student attendance and meeting weekly with students who might be in jeopardy to make sure they are getting the support they need to make it to school. Being proactive with students is key.
The district is also making progress toward the ELA and Math growth goals thanks to the implementation of new curriculum and the hard work of the teachers. During the past two years, the district has spent approximately $1.2 million on new curriculum.
“The curriculum has an impact, but the strongest influence on our students is the work of our teachers,” Eubanks pointed out. “Our teachers are paying close attention to each student's individual needs. They look at diagnostic test results that are given three times a year, as well as daily classwork to assess student levels in math, ELA, and all subject areas, and they adjust their instruction accordingly.
“Our teachers make a difference,” Eubanks continued. “In a year’s time, our teachers help students make significant gains, no matter what level the student entered their classroom. We should celebrate our students’ academic growth.”
Superintendent Dan Coffman praised the work of District and Building Leadership Teams for establishing goals and implementing data-based plans to help reach those goals.
“We are making strides in the right direction,” Coffman said. “We have a lot of obstacles to overcome and challenges to face, but our teachers and staff members do a great job of educating our children.
“I am pleased with the leadership structure we have in place and progress that is being made because of the District and Building Leadership Teams and because of the data collected and then shared by Danielle Eubanks.”
In other business, the board approved an overnight trip for the Ohio FCCLA Leadership student to go to the Ohio Expo Center in April and an out-of-state and overnight field trip for the eighth-grade class trip to Washington, D.C. in May.
In personnel matters, the board approved the following at 21st Century Community Learning Center Afterschool Teachers: Amy McLain, Heather Daniel, Julie Endly, Lisa Cunningham, Pippa Mikes, Gracie Hayes, Kirstin Carpenter, Abby Knott, Angie Hayhurst, Bailey Joseph, Lyndsey Hummel, Breanna Walker, Sheri Jones, Dana Todd, Amanda Miller, Jodi Neff, Alex Kridelbaugh, Christine Clagett, Michelle Johnston, Jennifer Luallen, Cammie Bunting, Sadie Williams, Robert Mascolino, Joellen Perkins, Melissa Hains, Shawn Hannon, Lisa Taylor, and Rachel Levi.
The board approved the following as 21st Century Community Learning Center Afterschool Aides: Kim Valentine, Christine Albaugh, Tammy Engle, Sarah Lanning, Tricia Cole, Kelsey Robinson, Lisa Daugherty, Jan Wheatley, Cathy Gadd, Alauna Butler, Stephanie Massey, and Rachel Levi.
The Board approved Kamryn West McIntire and Janelle Shriver as athletic volunteers; approved Nancy Johnston, Barbara McKinnon, Raymond Duda, Holly Huffstutler, Jessica Dean, Shelton Morrow, Destiny Smith, Brandon Green, Kelley Ayres, Aaron Finnicum, David Evancho, Cory Williams, Rachel Kanski, and Chris Kanski as volunteers.
The board approved Janice Cole as a cook at CMS; and Mike Upton as a part-time bus driver in training.
The board also approved Shawn Hannon, Emily Jefferies, Ziciah Gibson, Rachel Verhey. Ava Tank, Vicki DeLucas, and Scott Meredith as substitute teachers; Jessica Strasser for medical leave, and the resignation of Jacob Tharp.
The next meeting of the Board of Education will be at 5 p.m. on November 21, 2024, at the Garfield Administrative Center.