Cleveland Heights - University Heights Board of Education meeting highlights 7-2-2024
JULY 2, 2024, regular meeting
- Public comment
- Recognitions and awards
- Superintendent’s comments
- Treasurer’s report
Present were President Jodi Sourini, Gabe Crenshaw, Dan Heintz, and Phil Trimble. Malia Lewis was excused. Also present were Superintendent Elizabeth Kirby and Treasurer Scott Gainer. The meeting was called to order at 7 p.m. and adjourned at 7:50 p.m.
Public comment
Robin Collins, a former district employee, alleged she was assaulted by a student in 2022 while working for the district. She said the district does not discipline students sufficiently, and as a result teachers and staff are assaulted. She feels that the Positive Behavior and Interventional Supports (PBIS) program is ineffective and students and families have too much control, which she suggested has a racial element.
Angel Fasolo, a community member, read from an email she had previously sent to the board requesting that all persons named as defendants in the sexual assault lawsuit against the district be placed on leave of absence while the suit is pending. She also asked that those who were board members at the time of the alleged incidents resign their seats. She said all current board members should be ashamed of themselves.
Melissa Wood, a substitute teacher at the high school, said high school intervention specialists should not be removed from science and social studies programs, because they are needed for students with disabilities. She said the school has too few intervention specialists to serve students with special needs and asked the district to hire a librarian for the high school.
Recognitions and awards
The communications department was recognized for professional and student awards given by the Ohio School Public Relations Association for the 2023-2024 print calendar, Tiger Nation Month in Review, the 2022 popular annual financial report (produced with the finance department), the Heights High School Peek at the Week, and the video, “Ashwan Sims, A Heights Success Story.”
The board welcomed the Heights Youth Theater’s return to the district and congratulated the girls’ volleyball team on its Cedar Point tournament and opportunity to meet college coaches.
Superintendent’s comments
Leadership retreat. In June, the Building Leadership Teams met at TriC (Cuyahoga Community College). School principals presented year-end data, analysis, and reflections from the 2023-2024 year and began planning for the next school year. Each school building team assessed the past year and developed future plans.
Student leadership and new career programs. Ten students from the GEAR-UP program participated in the Ohio Youth Leadership Summit at Ohio Wesleyan University where they met with other high school students to learn leadership skills. In June, TriC Pathfinder launched, and students spent one week at TriC for hands-on learning about academic and career opportunities in a wide variety of subjects.
Student awards. The Roxboro Middle School Academic Challenge team won the state championship, and Roxboro Middle student Malcolm McFarland was an individual national champion. The State Department of Education and Workforce awarded five stars to the Noble, Gearity, and Oxford elementary school preschool programs.
New principals. Superintendent Kirby welcomed three new principals: Curtis Walker (Monticello Middle School), Joshua Luton (Noble Elementary School), and Toni White (Oxford Elementary School).
Calendar. The first day of school for the 2024-2025 school year is Aug. 21. The print district calendar will be available in the second week of August.
Treasurer’s report
Mr. Gainer provided guidance about property taxes and millages in his Three Things report.
Property reappraisal. By state law, the county fiscal officer conducts property reappraisals every six years. Current reappraisals were completed April 2024. Many homeowners experienced significant property tax increases due to increased home values. Heights schools get 67 percent of the local property tax revenue. In a presentation at Heights High, the county auditor recommended that homeowners file appeals if unhappy with their home value appraisal. The school board has no role in the appraisal process and cannot contest appeals filed by homeowners.
Millage amounts. HB 920 [a law passed in 1975 and since put into the Ohio constitution] limits the amount of tax revenue paid to the schools to the millage yield at the time of the last levy. Under the state funding formula and as provided in the Ohio Constitution, the district also receives a small amount of inside millage (i.e., unvoted taxes), currently 4.45 mills. The remaining millage (outside mills) must be approved by Heights voters. In the CH-UH district, these mills also cover the Heights Libraries.
A comprehensive explanation of public school funding is available on the district’s website: on the menu under District/Finance, Payroll, and Benefits; then the School Funding icon in the right frame.
Board comments
President Sourini reported on her attendance at community events, including climate resiliency meetings at the community center. She noted changes in the board meeting calendar.
The next board meeting will be a work session Aug. 27.
LWV observer: Paula Goodwin
Documents for all board meetings can be accessed from the Board of Education webpage: www.chuh.org/BoardofEducation.aspx. Go to “BoardDocs” in the menu; on BoardDocs go to “MEETINGS” in the top menu; click on “Agenda.” Board meetings are livestreamed on the district’s YouTube channel (www.youtube.com/CHUHSchools) and recorded for later viewing.