By Karen Andrew and Sue Kiesewetter

WEST END - A groundbreaking ceremony for the new 3,000-seat Stargel Stadium, Cincinnati Public Schools' first athletic facility construction project under the district's facilities master plan, takes place 10:30-11:30 a.m. today at the Robert A. Taft Information Technology High School, 420 Ezzard Charles Drive.

Named for Willard R. Stargel, who taught and coached at Taft High School from 1955 to 1966, the new stadium will be home not only to Taft but also to Hughes Center, Shroder Paideia, Jacobs and Woodward high schools.

Alliance Academy holds open house

EVANSTON - The board of Alliance Academy of Cincinnati will hold a free ice cream social and open house for parents of prospective students 5-7 p.m. today at the school, 1712 Duck Creek Road.

School board members and representatives from National Heritage Academies, the charter school company that will manage Alliance Academy, will answer questions.

For information, call (800) 699-9235.

Alliance Academy of Cincinnati opened in fall 2003 with 348 students in grades K-5.

The public charter school, which is housed in the former St. Mark Catholic School building, now serves K-6 students and will continue to add one grade per year through the eighth grade to eventually serve nearly 700 students at full capacity.

Teacher wins grant to teach tolerance

LIBERTY TOWNSHIP - Jennifer Newman, a VanGorden Elementary School teacher, received a $1,000 Teaching Tolerance grant.

The grants are a project of the Southern Poverty Law Center, a nonprofit organization that works against intolerance and discrimination through education and litigation.

The grant will be used for Newman's cultural diversity project, which partners teachers, students, parents and community members.

Students will create squares for a family heritage quilt that will be displayed in the school and then the community.

Schools honored for dietary programs

COLUMBUS - Local schools were recently honored when 50 Ohio School Food Service Programs were recognized as outstanding programs that promote a healthy nutrition environment in the school during Ohio's Annual Coordinated School Health conference and the Ohio School Food Service Association annual conference.

The Stellar Award for Best Nutrition Practices was presented to 22 recipients including Monroe Local School District's Monroe Elementary and North College Hill City School District's Becker, Clovernook and Goodman elementary schools.

2004 Stellar Award Schools of Honorable Mention went to 28 schools including Lemon-Monroe High School; North College Hill Junior/Senior High School, Loveland High School, Edwin H. Greene Intermediate School and Maple Dale and Symmes elementary schools.

Information: www.ode.state.oh.us.

Superintendent to lead state panel

MOUNT HEALTHY - Mount Healthy City Schools Superintendent Dave Horine has been named chairman of the Buckeye Association of School Administrators' State Department Committee for the upcoming school year.

BASA is the professional association of state superintendents and administrators.

The committee works with state Superintendent Susan Zelman and the Ohio Department of Education.

---

E-mail school news to kandrew@enquirer.com