LEAGUE OF WOMEN VOTERS / Cleveland Heights-University Heights Board of Education meeting highlights
NOVEMBER 5, 2024, regular meeting
- Board action
- Recognitions
- Audience statements
- Student report
- Superintendent’s report
- Treasurer’s report
- President’s Report
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 7 p.m. and adjourned at 8:07 p.m.
Board action
The board approved the consent agenda, which included field trips and donations. The board expressed appreciation for the opportunities for student field trips to Belize, New York City, Washington, D.C., and Lansing, Michigan. They thanked the community for donations.
Several board actions had to be voted on separately and therefore were not included in the consent agenda. The board approved an employee separation agreement and a resolution to dissolve an employment contract due to job abandonment and resignation. They also approved a subordination agreement with B.R. Knez Construction, Inc., to extend the Taylor Road townhomes construction timeline.
Recognitions
All district schools earned a bronze Positive Behavior Interventions and Supports (PBIS) award from the Ohio Department of Education and Workforce (ODEW).
Tiger team members of the month were recognized.
Audience statements
Janette Corb, a CHUH teacher for 17 years, requested that intervention specialists be returned to the science and social studies classrooms and that more specialists be hired. Her class of 28 students includes 11 who have specialized education plans (SEPs). In some classrooms, more than 40 percent of students have an SEP. The lack of trained specialists harms not just special needs students but all students in the classroom. She asked that the district support diversity, equity, and understanding among all students by investing in specialized education in the classrooms.
Community member Angel Fasolo said the board protected and promoted named defendants in the Title 9 lawsuit. She believes the state report card scores were low at Roxboro [she did not specify which school]due to failure on the part of the principal, who is a named defendant. She pointed out that in a July board meeting, it was stated that board members are district employees, but that this is not the case.
In response, President Sourini apologized for the misstatement that board members are district employees. She repeated that no district employee has been accused in the lawsuit of having committed any sexual assault or sexual harassment.
Student report
Ninth-grader Savaya Tokar described high school athletic opportunities for winter sports. Three students won national merit scholarship recognition. Parent-teacher conferences are scheduled for Nov. 6.
The musical “Big Fish” was presented with over 200 students participating. On Nov. 13 and 14, the instrumental music department will hold its fall concert.
Seniors and their families attended a college financial aid information meeting on Oct. 8. College Now and GEAR UP will hold a celebration recognizing first-generation college students on Nov. 8.
Ms. Tokar also described the Heights United theme, saying it emphasizes a caring staff to promote family and community feeling among students. The program also supports many opportunities for student achievement in and out of the classroom.
Superintendent’s report
Recent professional development sessions focused on showing students what success looks like and fostering collaborative partnerships between coaches, principals, and teachers to enhance student outcomes.
Student Cadre meetings were held at Heights High and Monticello and Roxboro Middle schools to discuss cell phone policy and safety measures.
Metal detectors are now used daily at the high school, and the safety committee has recommended their use in the middle schools. Additional systems are being reviewed for purchase. Ms. Kirby has met with the Cleveland Peacemakers Alliance, which will be submitting a proposal to the district.
More than 80 families attended the Oct. 19 Career Tech Education fair; community partners donated supplies.
Thanksgiving recess will be Nov. 28 and 29. The Monticello renaming meeting has been moved to Dec. 3.
Treasurer’s report
The pensions audit was completed at end of October.
Mr. Gainer also discussed his current “Three Things:”
(1) The state provides Student Wellness and Success Funds for wraparound services; 50 percent must be spent on physical and mental health services. The district must post a plan on its website and report annually to the ODEW on how the funds are spent.
(2) The district self-insures to provide health insurance for district employees and pays claims and premiums. Actuarial assessments are performed at the end of each fiscal year. The district insurance committee will meet the week of Nov. 11. New rates will be effective in January.
(3) The Ohio Schools Council is a consortium of more than 281 school districts and other education providers. It allows participants to act together to save money for utilities and school bus purchases.
President’s report
President Sourini attended meetings with the safety committee and the recruitment and retention committee. She participated in the Noble School walkthrough and attended the Big Fish musical.
She will attend the OSBA (Ohio School Boards Association) capital conference Nov. 10-12, when two proposed amendments to the OSBA legislative platform will be voted on. The first supports legislation allowing districts to charge for labor costs associated with public records requests. The second supports legislation that prohibits imposition of a unilateral tax exemption upon a school district and legislation that requires tax levy money to be exempt from tax increment financing under ORC 5744 and community reinvestment area abatement.
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.