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LISBON -- Columbiana County commissioners proclaimed March as Developmental Disabilities Month, with Superintendent Bill Devon promising lots of activities, especially to recognize the school's 70th year of service.
"We're going to have a bigger celebration this year because of that 70th," Devon said.
He shared some of the history with commissioners Wednesday, noting that school services began in April 1955 in East Liverpool, with seven students in the first classroom.
Then more classrooms were added in different communities, but a decision was made to have all the students together in one school, with 35 students in the first school, which was located in Elkton.
According to Devon, Robert Bycroft said "we could do better."
The county commissioners donated the land off of state Route 172 and the new school was constructed, with Robert Bycroft passing away before the new school opened. The school was then named after him.
According to Devon, the Ohio Revised Code said public schools didn't have to educate people with developmental disabilities, but parents of those children knew what their children could do. He said "they saw what their children were capable of."
The Ohio General Assembly established county boards of developmental disabilities in October 1969 according to the proclamation, including in Columbiana County, with more than 985 people with developmental disabilities served by the county board today.
Every March is designated as a time to bring awareness regarding developmental disabilities and this year's theme is "Driving Toward Access."
The proclamation by commissioners said this year's campaign "seeks to navigate barriers and explore new avenues in raising awareness about the needs of people with developmental disabilities in all facets of community life, as well as awareness of the barriers that people with disabilities still sometimes face in order to connect to the communities in which they live."
"We're celebrating people and working together to remove obstacles. Our goal is to build a community that's committed to creating a world where everyone can have access to employment, transportation, direct support, do well and succeed," the proclamation said.
Devon said something is going on every day at Robert Bycroft School during Developmental Disabilities Awareness Month. The board will also host the annual employee recognition dinner and the annual staff/client basketball game will be played.
In other business, commissioners spoke briefly about the Ohio Mid-Eastern Governments Association known as OMEGA. Commissioner Tim Ginter said he attended the recent OMEGA meeting, along with Commissioner Roy Paparodis, explaining the group serves as a clearinghouse to connect governments to state and federal resources. Paparodis said the county was well-represented with people there from the county Port Authority, the city of Salem and the Sustainable Opportunity Development Center.
Paparodis said not much happened at the meeting that related to Columbiana County. According to Ginter, the guest speaker talked about tourism in Ohio. OMEGA serves 10 counties in Ohio, including Columbiana and in the past has worked with local communities to secure grants for various projects.
mgreier@mojonews.com