Cleveland Heights–University Heights Board of Education meeting highlights 5-4-2015

MAY 4, 2015

• Awards and recognitions
• Heights High design
• Public comments
• Math curriculum
• NEOLA
• Student activities
• Personnel
• Coventry building
• Donations
• Finances
• Board president’s report
• Heights Alumni association
• Student statistics
  
  

All board members were present.

Awards and recognitions

Sixteen Heights High students were recognized for serving on the Superintendent’s Student Cadre, which meets monthly with Superintendent Talisha Dixon. Certificates of Courage were awarded to three elementary students, one from Gearity Elementary School, who worked to improve school lunches, and two from Boulevard Elementary School, who worked to get a crosswalk at Lee and Somerton roads. Thirty-five teachers were awarded tenured teacher status.

Heights High design

Architect Gary Balog reported on minor changes made during the past month to the almost-completed design for Heights High. Board Member Eric Silverman asked a number of detailed architectural and functional questions related to entrances, stairwells, door trim, columns, glass, exterior ornamentation and locker rooms.

Public comments

Krissy Dietrich Gallagher, one of three levy co-chairs, refuted what she believes are misleading claims made by a group of citizens who oppose the levy, including an allegation that administrative costs have risen while classroom costs have fallen significantly. She stated that administrative costs have fallen by 9 percent while classroom costs have fallen by 1 percent. She stated that the district received straight A’s in the state report card’s Value Added category—a measurement of yearly gains made by the full spectrum of district students.

Resident Diane Hallum, speaking as one of a group opposed to the levy, defended the administrative/classroom cost statistics that she publicized, stating that she had obtained them from the Ohio Department of Education website.

Math curriculum

The board adopted the grades 6–12 math curriculum for the coming school year.

NEOLA

NEOLA’s updated Ohio policies were presented on second reading. Board President Nancy Peppler requested information on the district’s human resources in order to comply with policy 2413, which requires that career advisers meet with students once every semester beginning in sixth grade.

Student activities

The board approved membership in the Ohio High School Athletic Association. They also approved a field trip to the statewide Power of the Pen competition for Monticello Middle School students who have already won the regional competition.

Personnel

The board gave approval for retirements, resignations, terminations, appointments, changes of status, continuing contracts, and leaves of absence for classified and certificated/licensed staff.

Coventry building

In order to streamline operations, the district has been advised to enter into one-year lease agreements, beginning July 1, with all entities leasing space at the Coventry building. The board approved such lease agreements with the Coventry Village Children’s Center, Ensemble Theatre, Family Connections, Reaching Heights, FutureHeights, Lake Erie Ink, Cleveland Heights High School Alumni Foundation, and Heights Waldorf School.

Donations

The board accepted several donations:

• $1,400 to the Jason D. West Memorial Fund;
• a brunch valued at $150, also to the Jason D. West Memorial Fund;
• books valued at $150 to Noble Elementary School Library;
• $500 to Roxboro Elementary School.

Finances

Treasurer Scott Gainer presented, and the board accepted, the five-year financial forecast. Gainer explained that the five-year forecast is not substantially different from October’s report because whether the school levy will pass and whether the district will keep its state guarantee are unknown. He also explained that, due to a negotiated agreement to pay teachers over 12 months, instructional expenses for 2013–14 appeared to dip when in fact they were only distributed over a different time period.

Board president’s report

Peppler praised Superintendent Dixon’s involvement with teaching staff. She announced that Heights finished third out of 37 teams in the Robotics Competition and that a groundbreaking for the high school renovation project will take place May 12 at 6 p.m.

Heights Alumni association

Board Member Eric Silverman reported that more than 500 people attended April’s Pancake Breakfast, that the Alumni Hall of Fame induction was excellent, and that a Heights Gear Sale will be held at [the] Coventry [building] on May 30.

Student statistics

Silverman also noted that half of Heights High seniors have been in the district since kindergarten, and that 80 percent of scholarships received by Heights students went to females.

LWV Observer: Nancy Dietrich.

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 of Greater Cleveland. This disclaimer must accompany any redistribution of these reports.

• Awards and recognitions
• Heights High design
• Public comments
• Math curriculum
• NEOLA
• Student activities
• Personnel
• Coventry building
• Donations
• Finances
• Board president’s report
• Heights Alumni association
• Student statistics
  
  

All board members were present.

Awards and recognitions

Sixteen Heights High students were recognized for serving on the Superintendent’s Student Cadre, which meets monthly with Superintendent Talisha Dixon. Certificates of Courage were awarded to three elementary students, one from Gearity Elementary School, who worked to improve school lunches, and two from Boulevard Elementary School, who worked to get a crosswalk at Lee and Somerton roads. Thirty-five teachers were awarded tenured teacher status.

Heights High design

Architect Gary Balog reported on minor changes made during the past month to the almost-completed design for Heights High. Board Member Eric Silverman asked a number of detailed architectural and functional questions related to entrances, stairwells, door trim, columns, glass, exterior ornamentation and locker rooms.

Public comments

Krissy Dietrich Gallagher, one of three levy co-chairs, refuted what she believes are misleading claims made by a group of citizens who oppose the levy, including an allegation that administrative costs have risen while classroom costs have fallen significantly. She stated that administrative costs have fallen by 9 percent while classroom costs have fallen by 1 percent. She stated that the district received straight A’s in the state report card’s Value Added category—a measurement of yearly gains made by the full spectrum of district students.

Resident Diane Hallum, speaking as one of a group opposed to the levy, defended the administrative/classroom cost statistics that she publicized, stating that she had obtained them from the Ohio Department of Education website.

Math curriculum

The board adopted the grades 6–12 math curriculum for the coming school year.

NEOLA

NEOLA’s updated Ohio policies were presented on second reading. Board President Nancy Peppler requested information on the district’s human resources in order to comply with policy 2413, which requires that career advisers meet with students once every semester beginning in sixth grade.

Student activities

The board approved membership in the Ohio High School Athletic Association. They also approved a field trip to the statewide Power of the Pen competition for Monticello Middle School students who have already won the regional competition.

Personnel

The board gave approval for retirements, resignations, terminations, appointments, changes of status, continuing contracts, and leaves of absence for classified and certificated/licensed staff.

Coventry building

In order to streamline operations, the district has been advised to enter into one-year lease agreements, beginning July 1, with all entities leasing space at the Coventry building. The board approved such lease agreements with the Coventry Village Children’s Center, Ensemble Theatre, Family Connections, Reaching Heights, FutureHeights, Lake Erie Ink, Cleveland Heights High School Alumni Foundation, and Heights Waldorf School.

Donations

The board accepted several donations:

• $1,400 to the Jason D. West Memorial Fund;
• a brunch valued at $150, also to the Jason D. West Memorial Fund;
• books valued at $150 to Noble Elementary School Library;
• $500 to Roxboro Elementary School.
  
  

Finances

Treasurer Scott Gainer presented, and the board accepted, the five-year financial forecast. Gainer explained that the five-year forecast is not substantially different from October’s report because whether the school levy will pass and whether the district will keep its state guarantee are unknown. He also explained that, due to a negotiated agreement to pay teachers over 12 months, instructional expenses for 2013–14 appeared to dip when in fact they were only distributed over a different time period.

Board president’s report

Peppler praised Superintendent Dixon’s involvement with teaching staff. She announced that Heights finished third out of 37 teams in the Robotics Competition and that a groundbreaking for the high school renovation project will take place May 12 at 6 p.m.

Heights Alumni association

Board Member Eric Silverman reported that more than 500 people attended April’s Pancake Breakfast, that the Alumni Hall of Fame induction was excellent, and that a Heights Gear Sale will be held at [the] Coventry [building] on May 30.

Student statistics

Silverman also noted that half of Heights High seniors have been in the district since kindergarten, and that 80 percent of scholarships received by Heights students went to females.

LWV Observer: Nancy Dietrich.

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 of Greater Cleveland. This disclaimer must accompany any redistribution of these reports.