LEAGUE OF WOMEN VOTERS / Cleveland Heights-University Heights Board of Education meeting highlights
NOVEMBER 26, 2024, work session
- Safety and climate supports
- Weapons detection systems
- Board discussion of safety
President Jodi Sourini, Gabe Crenshaw, Dan Heintz, Malia Lewis, and Phil Trimble were present. Also present were Superintendent Elizabeth Kirby and Treasurer Scott Gainer. The meeting was called to order at 6:40 p.m. and adjourned at 7:45 p.m.
Safety and climate supports
The district has adopted four basic elements for safety -- attachment, belief, commitment, and involvement. The session began with an overview of the environment and structural supports, including building level threat assessments, safe school helpline, security monitors at each school, daily police presence at the high school and middle schools, safety committee planning, and climate observation and audits. In 2020, the district received a $1 million safety grant that has funded cameras, mobile video cameras, radios, exterior lighting, attendance scanners, and window film.
Social emotional supports include Positive Behavior Interventions and Supports (PBIS), trauma-trained social workers in each building, student group supports, MetroHealth services, transition supports for new students, trusted adults, and Heights Family Advisory. An anonymous $172,000 grant to MetroHealth from a district alumnus provides increased presence of behavioral health staff and a mental health navigator to assist students and families obtain outside counseling and mental health care. Superintendent Kirby announced that the district has received a $1 million grant from the U.S. Department of Justice for social and emotional support and is tied into the PBIS program.
The 46-member Safe School Advisory Committee includes board members, union leadership, teachers, administrators, the Cleveland Peacemakers Alliance, and the Ohio School Council. At monthly meetings, they review data, discuss policies and guidelines, and assess metal/weapons detection systems.
Weapons detection systems
Asst. Superintendent Paul Lombardo presented an overview of the Evolv, Opengate, and Hi-Scan weapons detection and bag scanning systems that the safety committee reviewed and observed in use at several public facilities in Ohio.
Evolv allows students to walk through the scanner with their bags and without having to stop. The scanner uses AI and does not require staff. Any confiscated items are documented, and records are kept. It is currently used in the Garfield Heights, South Euclid-Lyndhurst, and Columbus districts; MetroHealth; and NFL stadiums.
The Opengate system allows students to carry their bags through the scanner, but Chromebooks must be removed from bags first. It is currently used in the Cleveland and Maples Heights districts, Palace Theater, and Ohio State University.
Hi-Scan is used for bags and other small items. A person views the items on a screen. It is currently used in the Cleveland, Maple Heights, Garfield Heights, and Warrensville Heights districts.
Board discussion of safety
The district wants a system that provides an effective, efficient, and inoffensive experience; is affordable; and can be installed with staggered implementation. Whether more staff will be needed is also a consideration.
Board questions revolved around privacy and accommodation. Under the current system, the staff physically spot-checks bags; scanning bags would be less invasive. Human detection is more prone to error and bias. Concerns were raised about student profiling and whether IDs would be checked. Multiple groups are reviewing the process to identify any bias observed in the treatment of the students. They also asked about accommodation for students with physical disabilities. Superintendent Kirby said she will be considering these issues.
Mr. Heintz and Ms. Lewis said that student-staff relationships are key to school safety, and they encouraged increased opportunities for sports and clubs. Additional student support groups are being developed.
The board took no action on safety issues at this time.
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.