MINGO JUNCTION — The Indian Creek Local Board of Education got an overview of the Sycamore Stars afterschool program and how successful it has been since beginning this year.

Pastor Bobbyjon Bauman of the Sycamore Center and Ohio Valley Youth Council, lead academic instructor Theresa Paterra and site coordinator Cathy DiBenedetto shared details about the program at Indian Creek Middle School on April 18. Sycamore Stars serves 38 students per week and runs from October through April. However, a 13-day summer program will run from May 29-June 14.

Bauman thanked the school board for allowing the Sycamore Center to provide the free program, saying the center partnered with the Ohio Valley Youth Council and received a five-year, $850,000 21st Century Community Learning Center Grant through the Ohio Department of Education to finance the endeavor. Students currently stay after school from Monday to Thursday from 2:30 p.m. to 5:15 p.m. and receive tutoring and homework help as well as take part in myriad fun learning activities.

“The first year has been very successful,” Bauman said. “Our numbers are excellent at the middle school and we’ve had excellent participation.”

He lauded the teachers, administrators and Sycamore staff who offered life skills training, while Paterra provided gifts for DiBenedetto and ICMS Principal Holly Minch-Hick, the latter who was not in attendance.

“Everything has been positive, and Cathy and Holly have been so supportive,” she added. “We do daily math and English tutoring and homework help, plus we started the Self-Oriented Learning Environment. We have entrepreneurship, cooking, music and art appreciation, virtual reality and science, technology, reading, engineering and math.”

She continued that the participants branch off into groups and have their choice of three classes, then they complete career prep studies before finishing three more classes. Organizers track which classes are popular to maintain students’ interest while fitness and teamwork are included. The program also utilizes SNAP-Ed from the OSU Extension Office to focus on nutrition while the Civil Air Patrol provides free STEAM kits, plus it has included volunteers from the Franciscan University of Steubenville, guest speakers, social-emotional learning and career exploration.

“We’re trying to engage more community partners as the program grows,” Paterra added, saying a venture was started that is a student-guided curriculum for career exploration. “We also plug into strengths and strategies and hold Fun Friday and Family Engagement and parents can learn STREAM concepts.”

She noted that student outcomes have also yielded positive results, with 58 percent of the students making progress while the program’s goal was to attain 60 percent. Paterra said those numbers also did not reflect grades for the fourth quarter. She said 53 percent of the participating students achieved the marks in ELA, which also neared the 60 percent goal, and those figures followed scores in December.

“We will calculate the fourth-quarter grades, but at the half-year mark they about met the goal we’ve strived for,” she said.

Paterra said the summer program will run from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. and include breakfast and lunch plus an array of classes from entrepreneurship and exercise to woodworking, jewelry making and outdoor recreation. It is open to students in grades 4-8 from throughout the community. She noted that next fall’s program will run from Monday to Friday.

“ODE wants us to have more targeted ELA for enrichment, so we are making even smaller groups for targeted tutoring and homework help.”

DiBenedetto commented that it has attracted interest among middle schoolers with its sports and other offerings.

“This is a safe place for them and they do fun stuff as well as tutoring and homework,” she added. “It’s a great opportunity for kids we see on a regular basis.”

Following more discussion, board members praised the program and said it has benefitted the students.

“It sounds like it’s a great opportunity,” said board member Dr. John Figel.

“We’re reaching kids who fall through the cracks,” Bauman added, saying hopes were to expand to Hills Elementary one day.

Among other matters, the board:

• Accepted the resignations of Hills Elementary Principal Makenzie Householder and Indian Creek High School intervention specialist Kaylee Schubenski, both effective in June, and hired John Wordle as custodian, Karlee Warren as a paraprofessional, Brittney Calhoun as a cook/cashier and Nicholas Knopf as intervention specialist at ICHS; approved Joe Lewis as a volunteer for the 2023-24 spring sports season;

• Recognized McKenna Scott as District 5, Division II Player of the Year, Kylee Anderson as District 5 First Team, the ICHS swim team for OVAC All-Conference with First Team Gabby Boyuk and Hailee Hixenbaugh and Second Team Reese Scott and Brooklyn Evans, as well as the high school baseball and softball teams;

Heard from Superintendent T.C. Chappelear of upcoming events, including the Indian Creek Scholars Banquet on Sunday at 1:30 p.m. at St. Florian Hall, the ICHS Senior Awards Banquet on May 13 at 6 p.m. at St. Florian Hall and graduation on May 21 at 7 p.m. at Franciscan University of Steubenville; and

• Set the next regular meeting for May 16 at 6 p.m. at ICMS.