Nordonia reports success on AP exams

by Laura Bednar

Sept. 22 board of education meeting

Nordonia High School Principal Jessica Archer reported the success rate of students taking advanced placement exams in 2026. Students took 687 AP exams across 30 subjects.

The exams are scored on a scale of 1–5 with five the highest. Eighty-two percent of students scored 3 or higher, and there were 93 scores of five across 24 subjects. Fifty-seven students earned at least one five.

Those who score 3 or higher on at least five exams with an average score of 3.5 across all exams taken are recognized as AP Scholars with Distinction. Most students reach this plateau by the end of their senior year, and this year 56 students earned the distinction. Twenty-one students earned the designation before senior year, and one earned it before junior year.

Archer also recognized the 12 Nordonia teachers whose students had a 90% or higher pass rate for AP exams.

Athletic update

Board member Matt Ford said the athletic committee discussed the state’s new Student Athlete Mobility Act that permits students to participate in extracurriculars in other districts when their home district does not offer them.

He explained that participation is not automatic, and each request requires approval from both district superintendents. Ford said he is in favor of taking it on a case-by-case basis if a student wants to join a Nordonia sport, rather than adopting a blanket policy.

Nordonia coaches were not against the measure, according to Ford, giving examples of sports with a smaller number of participants like hockey, diving and gymnastics. “Most of them just want to coach kids,” he said.

Ford said Athletic Director Rob Ecekenrode was not in favor of expanding athletics to students from other districts and that the district should be centered on providing opportunities to Nordonia students.

The Suburban League, of which Nordonia is a member, is circulating a petition that would require public and private schools to compete in separate state championship tournaments. Ford said there was concern among public school administrators that private schools have broader recruiting advantages and enrollment patterns that can “create competitive disparities.”

Ford said private schools make up 15% of the competitive area in Ohio and win 37% of the state championships. The petition must have the required number of valid signatures by Dec. 1 to put the proposal to a vote by the Ohio High School Athletic Association in May 2027.

Technology support

The board approved a $9,350 contract with NEONet to provide a virtual chief information security officer for 50 hours to assist the district’s technology department with managing its information cybersecurity risks and protecting its assets.