Ohio Supreme Court candidate Judge Pat DeWine spent part of his Thursday touring Ironton High School and learning about its safety plan.

DeWine is currently an appellate judge with the First District Court of Appeals in Hamilton County, but will run for the Ohio Supreme Court next year. He has spent two and a half years in the appeals court after spending time in common pleas court.

“This is a chance to get out and get to different communities and see what’s going on,” DeWine said. “I also hear about the safety issues that we deal with in the court system and how different schools handle them.”

Superintendent of Ironton City Schools Dean Nance showed DeWine, who was also with Nate Shelton of the Fountain Square Group of Cincinnati working on DeWine’s campaign, around the high school. They talked about programs offered, the teachers in the district, safety of the school, the school’s technology and how some of the old building is used in the new building, which was built in 2010.

“I’m non-political person so it doesn’t matter what affiliation anyone is. When I can show these people test scores and accomplishments of the school, it’s good for the city,” Nance said. “Anytime we have the opportunity to showcase our school and town, I’m 100 percent behind that. I don’t care to take time out of my day to share with them and show what we’re about.”