Cleveland Heights-University Heights Board of Education meeting highlights 1-3-12

JANUARY 3, 2012

• Oaths of office
• Nancy Eisenberg
• Grant proposals
• Fighting incident
• Coventry School leases
• ABLE program
• Donations

Board President Karen Jones was excused.

Oaths of office

Re-elected board members, Eric Coble and Nancy Peppler, were sworn in. Karen Jones was elected board president, and Eric Coble, vice president. Nancy Peppler was appointed treasurer pro-tem.

Nancy Eisenberg

Eric Coble recognized Nancy Eisenberg, Noble Elementary School art teacher, for her work in the district.

Grant proposals

The following grant proposal applications were approved:

• The Educational Jobs Fund Application to the Ohio Department of Education for $25,627.36
• The NFL Grassroots Program Field Surface Grant to the NFL Grassroots Program for $200,000. This grant is for upgrading the stadium with a turf field; however, it will not cover the total cost of the improvement. Cramer and Associates, the firm advising on the facilities master plan, is looking for donors. Bleacher safety is a priority issue. The application would be incorporated into the facilities study.

Fighting incident

Safety and security officers are making changes to game admission rules after a fight and rumored gunfire at the Dec. 30, 2011 basketball game. Visiting team members must show school IDs, and no students from other schools will be allowed to enter. Middle school and younger students must be accompanied by an adult. Recent Heights High alumni may have to show IDs or be recognized by the security officers to attend the game. When students return from winter break, student leaders will be recruited to discuss the safety issues at games.

Coventry School leases

The board approved a lease agreement with Open Office LLC for space in the Coventry School building. Open Office supports other businesses in the Heights, lines up businesses, and functions with for-profit organizations. Maintenance is still the school district’s responsibility.

Council also approved an extension of the term of a lease agreement between the board and the Ensemble Theatre. The lease will be extended monthly, with the hope of a firm contract soon.

ABLE program

Council approved a lease agreement between the CH-UH Board of Education and New Life Cathedral in East Cleveland, where the district’s ABLE program will continue. The ABLE program is for life skills, such as GED training, for adult students in the Heights area. Tri-C is coordinating this program.

Donations

The board accepted the following donations:

• $7,500 to the Hearty Professional Development Center;
• $400 to Bellefaire School for “Family Night;”
• A Shopsmith Mark V woodworking tool to the high school;
• $1,000 to the Robert Soltz Scholarship Fund; and
• $1,805 to the Jason West Memorial Scholarship Fund.

LWV observer: Lillian Houser.

These meeting summaries are abstracted from LWV observers’ written reports. The summaries have been edited and prepared by Anne McFarland, Charlene Morse and Maryann Barnes. To receive e-mail postings of full reports, send an e-mail to mbarnes9515@gmail.com or join through Google groups using “lwv-chuh observer reports” as a search phrase.

These reports contain member observation and selected highlights of public meetings and are not official statements of the Heights Chapter of the League of Women Voters Cuyahoga Area. This disclaimer must accompany any redistribution of these reports.