Tallmadge City Schools will host a community forum on April 29 to answer questions from residents about the district’s May levy request. The forum will be held at 6 p.m. on April 29 in the Tallmadge High School community room at 140 N. Munroe Road. State Reps. Derrick Hall and Heidi Workman will be guest speakers. Tallmadge is seeking a 5.6-mill continuing property tax levy. If approved, the levy would generate nearly $3.7 million a year for district operations and would cost the owner of a $100,000 home $196 a year.
The Ohio Department of Education and Workforce has awarded 153 schools its Purple Star school designation. Purple Star schools show a significant commitment to serving students and families connected to the nation’s armed forces. Another 151 schools renewed their designation this year after three years as dedicated Purple Star schools. The newly designated Purple Schools in Summit County include Barberton Middle School, Barberton Intermediate School, and Cuyahoga Falls’ Gordon DeWitt Elementary.
Anthony Gomez, president of the Cuyahoga Falls school board, has been recognized with the Ohio School Boards Association 2026 STAR Award. The star award recognizes board members who excel in the areas of service, training, aptitude, and recognition. Gomez completed more than 200 points of intensive professional development, including participation in the Board Leadership Institute and the OSBA Capital Conference. He also passed a state exam focused on school law and governance.
Governor Mike DeWine has named 109 Ohio schools as 2026 Science of Reading Champions, which recognizes schools that stand out for their commitment to using the science of reading approach to improve student literacy. Among the Summit County schools to earn the award are Akron Public Schools’ I Promise School, McEbright Community Learning Center, Voris Community Learning Center, and Windemere Community Learning Center; Cuyahoga Falls City Schools’ Gordon DeWitt Elementary and Richardson Elementary; Norton City Schools’ Norton Elementary and Norton Primary; and Streetsboro City Schools’ Streetsboro Elementary. The award is part of DeWine’s efforts to highlight the science of reading, also known as structured literacy, as the preferred method for teaching Ohio students to read. In 2023, DeWine made it state law that schools must use a curriculum based on the science of reading, which focuses on phonics and seeks to help students break down words by their letters, sounds, and syllables.
