Olentangy's Top News

Six Olentangy students took part in the Central Ohio Leadership Academy’s inaugural class this summer. The students went through a competitive screening process to fill one of the 34 spots open to all central Ohio students. The program was established to provide a comprehensive experience to help young people with developing leadership qualities realize their potential. Student learning was guided by an instructional collaborative that included educators from the Fisher College of Business at The Ohio State University and the New Albany-Plain Local School District. Students earned college credit from OSU for successfully completing the program. For more information go to www.coleadershipacademy.org.

Congratulations to:

• Matthew C., Olentangy Liberty High School (OLHS)
• Sampatha C., OLHS
• Lauren D., OLHS
• Amanda G., OLHS
• Hannah L., Olentangy High School
• Sydney Y., Olentangy Orange High School

Eight Olentangy students have been selected for the Ohio Music Education Association’s All-State Choir. The students submitted recorded performances to be considered for this prestigious group. They will perform during the OMEA state conference in Columbus in February. Congratulations to:

• Tyler C., Olentangy High School (OHS)
• Joseph C., Olentangy Orange High School (OOHS)
• Lauren F., Olentangy Liberty High School (OLHS)
• Alayna G., OHS
• Hayley M., OLHS
• Sara S., OOHS
• Kendra S., OOHS
• Anne T., OLHS

Olentangy Local Schools is once again rated Excellent with Distinction by the Ohio Department of Education (ODE), according the local report card released today.  This is the highest rating possible and marks the eighth straight year that Olentangy has been rated Excellent or better by ODE.

“We’re extremely pleased with these results,” said Superintendent Wade Lucas, Ed.D. “This is proof of the winning combination we have here in Olentangy – great students, a talented staff, and the support of our parents and community.”

The Excellent with Distinction rating was just one of the many highlights of the 2010-11 report card. Olentangy also increased its Performance Index to an all-time district high of 106.9, placing it in the top six percent of all school districts in the state. The district met all 26 indicators included in the report card and the federal standard of Adequate Yearly Progress, which measures the achievement of each subgroup of students. Olentangy also exceeded the growth standard for 2010-11, indicating that students received more than a year’s worth of education during that school year.

All of the 21 Olentangy schools open during the 2010-11 school year received ratings of Excellent or Excellent with Distinction.

“That’s very important to us,” said Lucas. “We have a large district, but we want to ensure that all of our students are being provided the same high-quality education. There’s a lot to celebrate in this report card, and we’re going to keep pushing to achieve even more in the future.”

For more information on the Ohio Department of Education’s local report card, click here.

To see the 2010-11 report cards for Olentangy Local Schools or any of its individual school buildings, click here.

Olentangy Local Schools will celebrate the opening of two new school buildings on Sunday, August 21 beginning at 1 p.m.

The grand opening for Olentangy Berkshire Middle School (OBMS), 2869 S. Three B’s and K Road, will begin at 1 p.m. The ribbon-cutting ceremony for Heritage Elementary School (HES), 679 Lewis Center Road, will begin at 2:30 p.m. OBMS is the district’s fifth middle school, while HES the district’s 15th elementary school. These two new buildings bring Olentangy’s total number of schools to 23.

The ribbon-cutting ceremonies will each last approximately 30 minutes. After the ribbon cuttings, students, parents and community members will be invited inside the schools.

On Wednesday, August 24, Olentangy Local Schools is expecting to welcome nearly 17,000 students, including approximately 750 at OBMS and 400 at HES.

Olentangy Local Schools has been the fastest growing school district in the state of Ohio for the past eight years, adding approximately 1,000 new students each year. The district ended the 2010-11 school year with 15,964 students.

The funds to construct OBMS and HES are from the $89.89 million bond package approved by voters on March 4, 2008. That package also provided the funds to build the Berkshire Bus Compound, which opened in February 2009; Freedom Trail Elementary School, which opened in August 2009; Cheshire Elementary School, which opened in August 2010; the addition to Olentangy High School, which was completed in December 2009; as well as improvements at other facilities, technology, buses and textbooks.