Students and staff attend Heights High topping out ceremony

Students signing the topping out beam (from left): Graham Ball, Emma Zordan and Akash Bartlett. 

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Cleveland Heights High School (CHHS), at the corner of Cedar and Lee roads, has been topped out.

On March 22, 13 students, two teachers, a guidance counselor, two board of education members, Principal Zoraba Ross and Superintendent Talisa Dixon signed the final, ceremonial white beam before it was raised and placed at the top of the building.

The students who attended the ceremony were student council representatives; the Superintendent’s Cadre, students who meet regularly with Dixon; and members of the video production class, who recorded the event.

Student Sydney Watson said, “It is really awesome that we could sign the beam. I am looking forward to coming back here and being the first graduating class from the new building.”

After the beam signing, Scott Bindle, Gilbane construction manager, thanked the attendees and talked about the significance of the small pine tree that was attached to the beam.“The tradition began in Scandinavian countries and continues today,” he said.

Also attached to the beam is an American flag. Both items will stay on the beam until the beams are enclosed.

While CHHS is under construction, students are attending high school at the former Wiley Middle School in University Heights, which has been expanded with temporary modular classrooms.

Students will return to the permanent high school building in the fall of 2017.