Hayes High School is instituting an ACT pilot program that will provide end-of-course exams, which will eventually replace the Ohio Graduation Test.

Hayes principal Brad Faust and assistant curriculum director Pam Noeth presented information about the program to the Delaware City School Board Monday night in an effort to “get ahead of the curve,” Faust said. The OGT will be phased out by 2014 and the ACT, or a similar test will be implemented as the state standard.

The program will see end-of-course exams in algebra, geometry, precalculus, biology, chemistry and English. By utilizing the program, students will be more prepared for college, Noeth said.

The program is a second-year pilot program. The Olentangy School District already offers end-of-course exams to its students; 36 other Ohio high schools also offer the final exams, Noeth said.

The exams will be offered at the end of the school year in May, Faust said.

“We want to set our kids up for success,” superintendent Mary Anne Ashworth said. “One of the ways we do that is to find out if we’re being as rigorous as we need to be.”

In other business, the school board:

• Accepted the resignations of Cathleen Ross as an assistant, effective Oct. 2 and Lanetta Bock as winter color guard coach, effective Oct. 7;

• Approved the employment of Jeri Knight as cook/cashier at the rate of $11.09 per hour, effective Oct. 5; classified substitutes, Carolyn Fraley, Deborah Gibson, Jana Henson, Elizabeth Kuchers, Tina Melvin, Brandi Phillips, Amy Santarelli and Penny Thompson; school-age child care, Jennifer Hall, Mary Hubbell, William Larson and Melissa Stevens; substitute nurses, Deanna Estok and Elizabeth Meads at the rate of $87 per day; home instructors, Mary Barnes and Brenda Henricks; and bus driver Myron Shenefield, at the rate of $16.36 per hour, effective Oct. 14.

• Approved supplemental contracts for the 2009-2010 school year: Ross Banaszak, Dempsey eighth grade boys basketball; Christopher Eberst, Hayes freshman boys basketball; Audrey Garey, Dempsey seventh grade girls basketball; Shawn Gray, Hayes assistant wrestling; Nicholas Hauff, Dempsey assistant wrestling; Joshua Lamb, Dempsey head wrestling; Erin Lambka, Hayes assistant girls basketball; Kyle Miller, Hayes freshman boys basketball; Pam Noeth, Hayes assistant girls basketball; and John Trippier, Dempsey eighth grade girls basketball.

• Approved an agreement for student assistance services with Recovery and Prevention Resources of Delaware and Morrow counties.

mmackey@delgazette.com