When a steady stream of out-of-town teachers, school leaders, nonprofits and education groups began visiting Cincinnati two years ago, they weren't going for the chili or the sports teams. They were visiting a network of Cincinnati Public Schools known as community learning centers. The schools - 34 so far - have full-service health clinics, mental-health counselors, tutoring and after-school programs for everything from ballroom dancing to construction classes. The services, available to students and their families, are aimed at improving academic achievement in the poorest, lowest-achieving schools. The Cincinnati Enquirer reports that the city's model has gotten attention from as far away as Hawaii and Australia. Now, the nearly 1 million-student New York City school district is piloting their own program based primarily on what they saw in Cincinnati.
Mike Foley joined WCBE in February 2000, coming from WUFT in Gainesville, Florida. Foley has worked in various roles, from producing news and feature stories to engineering Live From Studio A sessions. A series of music features Foley started in 2018 called Music Journeys has grown into a podcast and radio show. He also assists in developing other programs in WCBE's Podcast Experience. Foley hosts The Morning Mix, a weekday music show featuring emerging and established musicians, our Columbus-area and Ohio-based talent, and additional artists that inspire him.