Cleveland Heights-University Heights Board of Education meeting highlights 7-3-12

JULY 3, 2012

• Sports teams honored
• Jeffrey Johnston’s award
• Auto collision program
• Middle school field trip
• Facilities plan
• Special needs district
• Improvement bonds
• Local partnership program
• Heights High principal

All board members were present.

Sports teams honored

The boys’ track team and the girls’ lacrosse team were honored for outstanding seasons.

Jeffrey Johnston’s award

The board recognized Jeffrey Johnston, director of student services, for receiving the 2012 Ohio Friend of School Social Workers Award from the Ohio Social Workers Association.

Auto collision program

Two former Heights High students who own auto collision businesses asked why the auto collision program was being closed.

Middle school field trip

The board approved Roxboro Middle School’s field trip to Bemidji, Minn. in May 2013.

Facilities plan

Superintendent Heuer gave reasons why the Master Facilities Plan should be approved. These included the need to downsize, many needed building repairs, the marginally effective rating of the buildings by the Ohio School Facilities Commission (OSFC), and the reasonable budget. Board members Karen Gorman Jones, Nancy Peppler and Eric Coble supported the plan, maintaining that the children deserve better facilities to get a better education, and delays would increase cost. Jones asked, “If not now, when?” several times.  Board members Kal Zucker and Ron Register were concerned about the cost, the timeline, and communication with the community. They could not support the plan. The board voted to approve the plan, with Zucker and Register voting no.

Special needs district

The board approved the Cleveland Heights-University Heights City School District as a Special Needs District, with Zucker voting no.

Improvement bonds

The board approved a resolution declaring the need to place a proposal on the fall 2012 ballot to issue school facilities improvement bonds in the aggregate principal amount of $130.6 million, with Zucker and Register voting no.

Local partnership program

The board authorized the OSFC Expedited Local Partnership Program, with Register voting no. The commission will approve 14 percent of the $160 million program. The board also approved, unanimously, a resolution of intent for the Expedited Local Partnership Program 0.5 mill maintenance requirement, which is required by the state. The district already has the amount in its permanent improvement fund.

Heights High principal

Johnetta Wiley was named administrative principal of Heights High School.

LWV observer: Adele Cohn.

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.