Assistant Secretary Deb Delisle to Visit Estem Academy and Discuss Preparing Students for College and Careers at Reynoldsburg High School in Ohio

Assistant Secretary for Elementary and Secondary Education Deb Delisle will tour Reynoldsburg High School's eSTEM Academy, one of four college and career academies, on Thursday, Oct. 25, in Reynoldsburg, Ohio. Reynoldsburg has transformed its large, comprehensive high school into four college/career academies, each aligned to clusters of careers that are important to Ohio's economic development plans.

The morning activities will include an introduction to the "Blended Learning Initiative," a tour of eSTEM Academy led by Principal Marcy Raymond, and a group discussion followed by a question-and-answer session on district-wide reform. The group discussion will include Superintendent Steve Dackin of Reynoldsburg City Schools, a number of school administrators from eSTEM Academy and Hannah J. Ashton Middle School, and blended learning consultants.

The Reynoldsburg City School District has developed one of the nation's largest science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) pipelines and is improving and sharing its prototype and innovative practices with regional, state and national networks. Reynoldsburg is scaling early college opportunities with the intention to create a highly personalized, rigorous and relevant education system that prepares every child for college and careers.

Reynoldsburg also is participating in Ohio's Race to the Top "Fifth to First" initiative. The district has received $700,000 to improve and accelerate progress in aligning its standards to nationally recognized college- and career-ready standards, to increase the number of highly effective teachers and leaders, and to improve the collection and use of data to drive instruction.