001Um, we are back in open session after our executive meeting. Um, I want to welcome everybody to the auditorium at the high school, especially all those younger students who don't necessarily hang out here on a regular basis. This is your future, so I'm glad you're here. Um, I'm going to turn the meeting over to Superintendent Kirby for awards and recognitions. All right, we jump right back in. Okay, good evening and welcome everyone to our October board meeting. Um, we are going to begin our board meeting tonight with recommendations for our September Tiger team members of the month. The following Cleveland Heights University Heights staff members have been recognized by their peers for going above and beyond to contribute to the culture of excellence in our district. when I call your name, please come up to
002the stage to receive a certificate and remain on stage for a group photo. Um, I can't really see as well. So, if you are here, um, uh, again, just come right to the front and, uh, Mr. Patton will give you your certificate. So, um I'm going to share some of the words that the colleagues have shared for those uh winners for uh the September Tiger team members of the month. From Bumgardner Middle School, Mikia Cersi who is the English language arts title teacher. [Applause] Mikia is organized, hardworking, and dedicated to her work in this district. She has helped my transition into a new role so much easier. And there has never been a time she hasn't answered my calls, texts, or emails. From the board of education, Aaron Hannah. [Applause] [Music] [Applause] Aaron has taken
003on the elementary level student services this school year and has already demonstrated an exceptional level of support, presence, and understanding towards the students and staff. from Boulevard Elementary School, Christy Manila. [Applause] Christy is the uh title support. She has been the epitome of a great team player. She has gone above and beyond to make teachers feel welcome, taking the time to provide help and offer guidance that is invaluable to building a positive culture. from Canerberry Elementary School, Patrick Duner. As our general office secretary, Patrick is doing an outstanding job in his new role as our attendance staff assistant. From the very start, Patrick has approached his position with attentiveness and thoroughess, ensuring that every detail is handled with care. from Fairfax Elementary School, the ALC Ancillary, Connie Meyer. Connie has shown incredible support in helping
004to manage student behaviors. She consistently steps in even when challenges arise and provides guidance when it's needed most. From Gity School, Gretchen Grabowski. [Applause] Gretchen has been an amazing teammate for years. She is dependable, supportive, organized, creative, and a hardworking fourth grade teacher from Heights High School. Kathleen Scully. Miss Scully supports our students who are English language learners. She consistently goes above and beyond her classroom responsibilities to create meaningful opportunities to empower our English learner students to discover their strengths and reach their full potential. From Noble Elementary School, Diamond Harris. [Music] Miss Harris is a special education pair professional. She is so great with our youngest learners. I see her every day engage with her students as they come into the building in the mornings. From Oxford Elementary School, Rebecca Mallakan. [Music] [Applause] As an
005intervention specialist, Miss McCallan goes above and beyond here at Oxford. She will help out whenever and wherever she can. From Roxboro Elementary School, Brandon Copelan. Mr. Copeland works both as a lunch pair professional and a cleaner. He is a positive individual who works both with students and in the maintenance department. He always brings a positive attitude with the children and his work. And finally from Roxboro Middle School, Jennifer Parks. [Applause] Miss Parks is a seventh grade math teacher who uses her years of experience as an avid tutor and her time as a long-term substitute to support students. She continu she continues to support students, staff, and families with dedication and heart. So, let's congratulate all of our winners. Come on up, Miss Price. You're representing all the Tiger team members of the month. Come right
006to the center of that. We'll take a picture. Oh, [Music] >> no, we don't. We're plenty, >> I think. [Applause] All right. So, I am so excited to have such a full audience of students and families with us tonight. This is perfect attendance, recognition, and celebration night. So, we are celebrating more than 1,000 students in our district who have inc who have achieved an incredible milestone attending school for 6 weeks straight with perfect attendance. >> Wow, that's great. >> Perfect attendance. So, this is my seventh year as a superintendent. This is my first time that we've had this celebration. Um, and I am so so I consider you all for for me and our board our inaugural class of perfect attendance awardees. You have risen to the challenge, showing up every day ready to learn
007and leveling leveling up in your academic success. Um, we're so happy to have you guys with us here tonight and we do have a small celebration for you um, after we recognize you. So, I'm going to ask you to please stand so we can give you a a great big round of applause. Please stand. Students, perfect attendance. Students, no. [Applause] I think we're going to ask Shawn the students to come up. Right. So students, we're going to ask you guys to come up. All of you on stage. >> Come on. Perfect attendance. >> We're going to make this happen. [Music] >> That's a lot of students. That's amazing. You all know. [Applause] >> Let's all get in the photo. [Music] >> I love it. [Music] in the backyard. [Music] Keep going down. [Music] So many
008students going down. >> Keep going. [Music] >> All right, we're almost there. Okay. Excellent. Okay. >> Yeah. Oh, yeah. >> Yep. That's good. This way. >> Students behind you. >> Oh, yeah. [Music] down a little bit more. >> We're getting into >> Oh, yeah. [Music] >> Everyone see their child. Call them out. Come to the front. [Music] >> Just look behind. [Music] >> All right. We're looking at Mr. P. Everyone right in the middle. Blue shirt. >> City Tigers. [Applause] [Music] Okay. Stand here. Okay. All right. So, students, you guys are now going to cheer for your families because you You don't get perfect attendance on your home. [Applause] [Music] Okay. >> Thank you for supporting your children. So, we're going to have a reception for the students in the lunchroom. So, please put your
009children there and let you guys get to the song. Yeah. [Music] >> I never said to watch you before. All [Music] right. >> This makes me so happy. >> I know. This is great. [Music] >> Hey, MJ. MJ, >> how are you? >> Good job. Good job. Good job. Very proud of you. Good job. Good job. Very proud of you. Good job. >> That's 20% of our kids. Perfect 10. Rubbins on the board. enough. >> My mic's hot. >> We might I might have to go in the cafeter. >> Yeah, >> I can do that. >> Somebody has lost a pair of eyelasses. They have a clearish gray plastic Whoops. plastic frame and they're covered in fingerprints. If you're missing your glasses, they're right here. >> I can take them into the reception and ask.
010>> Oh, okay. The glasses will go into the cafeteria. >> Mrs. Sereni will have the glasses. >> As one who had to replace lots of her glasses. Yes. People have glasses. No. [Music] >> Do we have >> I think it's right there at the center podium. >> Well, >> it's a new There's what? >> Oh, >> yeah. Right here. I don't know where the if there's a timer or how how they're doing that this time. >> I was looking at the stand. [Music] Holy moly. >> Good. >> Yeah. >> Cleared them out. >> Freedom of speech. Okay. >> So, we have two. >> Oh, that's fine. later. >> I think we have um someone from >> ODA. Yes, we have a we have an invited speaker as well or requested speaker. Is that going to
011be >> Are they here? >> Um don't know. What is that? >> The name might be one of the speakers. Let me just see if I recognize. >> No, >> they didn't say ODA. >> Uh-uh. >> Okay. No, it's not. >> It was Katie or Kathy. Somebody. [Music] >> It's Gina Garrett. [Music] I know. >> Now she go into the small >> Yeah. >> small room. >> Has Jod found the owner of the glasses? >> Good question. >> I don't want to continue the meeting without her, but I might. >> She's probably, you know, scarfing down a few cookies. >> Oh, is that the issue? There aren't cookies for schoolboard members? >> Yeah. I don't know. >> Did you have perfect attendance, Mr. Hines? >> Uh, no. I when I was here, I certainly did
012not. >> What about as a board member? >> This school year. What about this year? >> That's right. Um, no, no, no. >> The year just started. >> I've been busy, Gabe. Got a lot going on. >> Okay. Um, under the assumption that Miss Sereni will be back as soon as she's found the owner of those glasses. Um, may I have a motion to consider the consent agenda, please? >> I motion we consider the consent agenda. >> I second that emotion. >> We need to do public. >> No, it's letter I. Letter. >> Okay. >> We rearrange things. >> Okay. Um, do we need to vote before we discuss or do we just discuss? >> I want to certainly want to talk a little bit about a couple of things. One of the things that's
013sort of well, first of all, um, we are saying goodbye to some really remarkable members of our um, of Tiger Nation. Um, we're saying good uh goodbye and wishing well to Nancy Belaloo uh of our career tech program who has been incredible. Um, Amy Bloomberg, our media specialist here at Heights High and really the the face you see when you walk into the board of education now for a number of years. um Vivian Gada, who uh if you've known her as long as I have, you get to call her Viv. Um she's just been such a wonderful asset to this district, and she's just been the perfect person for that job. >> Well, she's Vivian Gata answers the phone. She's the first point of contact for anybody who's coming into the district and she has
014done that job so well. >> We're going to miss her. She's also done work permits for students for years. >> Yeah. Yeah. I just wish her the happiest retirement and a long long long happy retirement. Um we also have uh you know we always talk about the trips cuz they're just they look fun and I kind of want to go on all of them. Um, but the one that's on this that jumps out at me is the MSAN conference because we've seen when when kids come and talk to us, when MSAN kids come talk to us and they join us at board meetings and they talk about their their uh trip to an MSAN conference and really how transformative that experience is for some of our kids. I just love hearing those stories. So, um,
015it warms my heart to see that trip on this agenda. >> Well, I'm always partial to the French trip, but you know, >> I had a a question um regarding some of the quarterly contracts. Um, the first one is with Srite Consulting. It looks like for the compensation there is an extra zero, although there is a decimal there. I don't know if this is something that needs to be corrected. Um, one could interpret it to say 20 million. Um, and I know that is not the number. Um, but um, you know, not sure if that needs to be uh, corrected. It's just the extra zero. Um and then in regards to students who participate in like belfare and the gateway um programs, how how is that decided or how does that uh come about? um
016that is uh usually in consultation with the social worker and counselor and then there's also a parent um you know a parent uh permission component of that piece too as well. Um, so for example, I know last year at Belfare at Bombgardner, um, the Belfare person ran a girls group like during lunch and the and students would get together. She kind of had a curriculum even for for the girls to kind of work through friendships and dealing with stress and pressures or things of that nature. Those students participate. I mean, typically, of course, they opt in um, and are identified through the support, like I said, of social worker and counselor. Okay. So, that's like a group now for like the gateway the ESC um contract. Is that for one student? >> That I am
017not sure of. I'll have to check on that. Um I don't I can't really see. I don't see our um student services person here to answer question. But >> I think Belfare presented at a work session, didn't they? like we had a group of of different providers and I think they were one of the speakers then. >> I just wasn't sure if that was for one student or if that was you know like you're saying superintendent Kirby for a group of students. >> Yeah, I know that um for Belfare they have a case load of students that they work with. um gateway I'm not sure that it sometimes we do have contracts that are working with a very small number of students for example like we will have um people who are behavior specialists who
018might be working with one or two students um in the district to support them on their behavior improvement plan or IEP or something like that but I'll check on the uh the gateway pieces to see what that is. >> Thank you. Now, from a financial perspective, these are quarterly contracts, but some of them are annual and some of them are paid out on a different schedule. Can you give us a quick estimate, Miss Laam, of how much money we're talking about here? >> Sure. The the contracts um on tonight's agenda total um approximately just under $3 million. So, about 2.88. And what percentage of our budget is that? >> Um, >> it's like 3% or so. >> Yeah, roughly. >> Okay, thank you. Um, now a significant number of these appear to be passroughs for
019federal grants. >> That's correct. >> Um, and that's money which the district administers for non-public schools. Correct. >> That is correct. many of our federal grants. Um we are the fiscal agent for the nonpublic schools. >> Okay. And so our uh our federal programs and grants person, Laura Bates, administers a multitude of these grants on our behalf or on the behalf of multiple schools, but she's our employee. Is that correct? >> That's correct. >> Okay. Thank you. And those are some of the the numbers that seem a little skewed sometimes when people try to talk about the per pupil spending um that Cuban Heights University Heights uh does. When you look at the whole budget number and divide it by the number of kids enrolled in the district, people think that that's the per pupil
020funds, leaving out things like the millions of dollars of passroughs that we are the fiscal agent for private schools. That's just one of the thing that's things that sort of skews that number. Um there's also in this list of of um contracts a really large number which is the turf replacement at the the field outside the football field which um is a big number but I will say it's important to know that we got at least one and maybe two entire years of additional use of that. Um >> I think it's three years. Is it three? Yeah, >> cuz I think it was installed in 2013 and it was a 10year lifespan. >> Yeah. >> Uh and so um you know this is just a life expectancy thing and um the OSAA which is the
021Ohio High School Athletics Association comes in to inspect the turf annually to make sure that it is safe for students to play on. And we finally reached the end of the road. uh they informed us that this would need to be done at the end of this season and um and so we're using it as an opportunity to make some other upgrades um out there because so many of our our uh athletic teams use the field. Um it will be a a better facility on the other side of this project. And one thing I'd like to add uh to the high school turf is that we have had a placeholder number on the 10-year um permanent improvement plan for at least a million dollars for many many years. And the fact that this contract is
022coming in significantly under is is very good news. Um so there's two things there. We've we've made the turf last longer than it was expected to and we're replacing it for less cost than we expected to. >> Right, >> Malia? Couple one housekeeping item. The glasses. I just want to let you know the glasses. >> Yes. >> Um if anybody's watching the video because they're still looking for the glasses. Mrs. Coleman has them. I gave them to her in the reception. >> Okay. >> And I too wanted to thank our retirees for their many years of service. Um, Vivian Gatau was an extreme help to me at certain times when I've been board president. So, I just wanted to make a public thank you to her. And Nancy Belaloo also has um provided much feedback
023over the years, which I appreciate. And I am very excited about the um high school symphony and symphonic winds going on tour. that was something that was done for many years and then during the pandemic it had to stop and it was kind of hard to get that going again. Um so I think this is the third tour that they've had since the pandemic. So that's very very exciting. And the last thing is I want to thank Angel for the um changes and um that she's made in the financial forecast and the financial assumptions. you have done a great job in explaining some of the things and making it very clear that I think will be of great benefit to our employees and and our um community because I think some of the things that
024were in there before it's the same information but you have a really nice way of explaining it. So, thank you so much for making those upgrades to those financial documents. >> Yeah, I have I have a note to to thank you for the way you've changed things to make it a lot easier to understand. That's great. >> I'd also like to thank Central Bible Baptist Church for their donation of school supplies to Oxford Elementary School. >> Yeah, that's definitely every little bit counts, you know. That's that's great. Um, and I want to shout out uh our HR team for continuing to bring uh new employees into the district. Uh just kind of scanning through. We've got, you know, some running the gamut on the on the uh the um classified. Uh so I mean we've
025got lunchroom supervisor paras um you know one-on-one paras, we got a nurse, we got a bus driver in training. So uh as we're saying goodbye to a couple retirees, we're bringing on another wave. So uh great job Sean and team for all that hard work. [Music] And I believe that school bus driver in training is Lisa Hunt's oldest son. So that's wonderful. It's a family affair here in Tiger Nation. So um anything else or can we vote to accept the consent agenda? >> Let's do it. >> All right. Miss Leam, >> Mr. Trimbo, >> yes. >> Mr. Hine, >> yes. Miss Lewis, >> yes. >> Mr. Rainey, >> yes. >> Mrs. Krenshaw, >> yes. >> Um, next we have a requested audience from Gina Garrett, the director of family programs at Open Doors. If you
026could come up to the podium there and make sure that the microphone is nice and close so that you're recorded for the videos. Thank you. No, >> no. >> Working on it. >> Ah, >> there's a button at the base of the >> try now. >> Is >> Nope. >> Okay. Try now. >> Testing. >> Yes. Perfect. >> I knew it was do that. >> Good. >> Welcome. Sorry about that. >> No worries. No worries. One, I want to thank you guys for giving me an opportunity to speak today at the meeting at your board meeting. Uh, as you said, my name is Gina Garrett. I work for Open Doors Academy. I am their director of family engagement. Um, I've been with Open Doors for 11 years. And to tie it in um into the
027building that we're in, when I started with Open Doors Academy, I was the high school coordinator um for the out of school time program here at Cleveland Heights High School. Um, I do like to say I'm a Tiger even though I am not from Cleveland. Um, but I appreciate the fellowship and the family culture that I was brought into and still be a part of to this day. I wanted to speak to a few points um and express our or share our gratitude and our partnership with CHU um and start by saying since our founding in 1992 at St. Pauls um who is still a supporter um and a to our mission and to our programming. Uh we have had uh numerous success with CHU uh in this community, the families and our scholars. Uh
028we currently have three sites uh within CH um dur for our out of school time programming. one at Bombgardner Middle School, the other is at Roxboro Middle School, and then we still have our uh program here at Cleveland Heights High School. We partnered in many different ways. Uh one being during our summer camp that was formerly known as Monaceel, now I'm Bob now Bombgardner. I'm working on that name, I promise. Um >> we all are. >> But uh we've had several years there to hold our summer camp. If any of you have walked the neighborhood or have drove down Monaceel, you have seen the the mass amount of students that we have in that summer camp and we want to say thank you for that. Again, we also last year held our entrepreneurship showcase here
029which highlighted our pitch challenge and our lemonade day. Uh that pitch challenge is where our scholars compete at each site uh for the site championship and then they come here to pitch their idea on what would be their ingenuous product or idea and we vote as um judges will vote and and decide an overall winner for elementary, middle school and high school. Um those scholars then go on to compete in the national competition through Young Entrepreneurship Institute and we are proud to say that one of our scholars did go all the way to the finals through that organization nationally. So it was amazing time. >> That's great. >> That's awesome. >> I also want to talk about the impact really quick. Um we have 140 students total in our out of school time programming here
030at CHU. Um, and we hope to continue to have that number grow. 47 of those students participated in our summer camp over the this past year and 10 of those um, CHU high school students participated in our summer internship this past summer. Uh we also have seen great great success in increasing the English, math and attendance rates uh within the CHUA scholars that are in our out of school time programming. Um it's just a a amazing opportunity to see the seats filled um with how the attendance is going for the last six six weeks throughout the whole district. And then lastly, I just want to um put on your radar, we have a clam bake fundraiser coming up this Saturday, >> and it is a a wonderful time. I would like uh to invite anyone
031interested um to come out and see what we're about uh how we run our programming uh and hear from some familiar voices. We this year our MC will be AJ Brewer. who who is a class of 2025 graduate here at Cleveland Heights High School. >> Oh, nice. >> Uh our parent speaker for this uh clan bake is uh Miss Lie Ruby Lide who is the godmother of uh Annayia Sims who is also a graduate in class of 2025. And we also have various alumni that have graduated in previous years that will be helping that come back and volunteer and help out uh and attend our fundraising event. So, please see me if you would like more information about it um or go to our website at opensoracademy.org. I'd like to thank you again. I just
032wanted to express our gratitude um and hope that we continue to have a strong partnership here at chu. >> Thank you, Miss Garrett. >> Thank you. Thanks very much. >> Appreciate the work that ODA does. >> Yeah, thank you. We we understand it takes a a community um to educate our children and so we are grateful that you all are a part of that community. >> Yeah, we wouldn't have it any other way. Thank you all. >> It was uh it was a couple years ago that my daughter was at Bombguarder. Uh well, she's still there, but this is two years ago. And she was in an afterchool poetry club. And so they were doing their poetry slam and they had maybe >> I don't know 15 kids in the club. Uh but then ODA
033was there after school and they came in to be the audience and they were an amazing audience and it was such a thrill I think for those kids who thought they were just going to be reading poems for each other to have this like big auditorium full of uh full of peers. So yeah, they're they're making impacts, you know, even when they're just an audience. Yeah, I think that speaks to the the partnership that we have with the staff and knowing what's going on in the building, what we can be a part of and what we can support. Um, and then also showcase to our scholars of other things that they can be involved in during their out of school time programming in addition to our enrichment. >> Yeah. Thank you. >> Thank you. >>
034Next, we have statements from the audience. Um, and the first person who signed up is Robin Coslin. Usually I do this at um, city council meetings, so I have to give you my address and my name. >> Okay. We know where you live. >> Okay. Well, I might have to move after this. I don't know. Um, it's interesting times we're living through. And I'm in here because I feel so strongly in support of the teacher who was who was out on leave from Canterbury. And I have all these notes and I'm not really good at reading them because I'm a retired teacher and we don't do that. Um, I know all of you except for you. Congratulations. Welcome to Tiger Nation. So nice to see you. So, we've got we're living in these interesting times
035and one of our teachers posted something of dubious I don't know whatever on pa on Facebook and it certainly could have been worse, but it could have been better. And I this is the scenario I'm imagining. I'm imagining all of you in a room and we've got the lawyers over here and the lawyers are telling you, "Oh my god, this is going to be so bad. We have all these people from outside the community and they've seen this terrible thing. We've got to, you know, just nip it in the bud and let that the rest of the world know we don't tolerate stuff like that in Cleveland Heights. The other thing we have is we have children who have been deprived of for sure of a teacher for the I think about a month now.
036And I dare say you did not get a qualified sub because they are not qualified subs to teach her specialty. And so we for sure had children who were deprived of an education for the past month because we were afraid of these outrageous people who said we're going to punish you for views we don't like. Let's let this woman get back into our classroom. Free speech still exists in the United States. It's just time. Thank you. Thank you. >> Thank you. >> The next person is Deborah Van Clee on the topic of freedom of speech. Hello. Um, in 1956, my father was fired from his job at Republic Steel where he was a pipe fitter and also a shop steward. A few weeks earlier, he had been summoned to testify before the House Unamerican Activities
037Committee, having been reported to them by a friend of a friend. My sister and I were one and three. My mother had been staying home with us, but with my father out of work, she went out and got hired at a bank. On her first day, two FBI agents tailed her, followed her inside and went straight to the manager. Then they left and he unhired her. Ultimately, my father got his job back thanks to the efforts of his union. And although he and my mother never got over the trauma of that very precarious time, they spent the rest of their long lives advocating for labor, civil rights, gender equality, and peace. And as Cleveland Heights residents campaigning for in innumerable school levies, 70 years later, we're facing a resurgence of repression by an authoritarian regime
038that claims the power to define what is acceptable political speech regardless of the constitution. In such a climate, it's all too easy for educational institutions to capitulate and for their staff and students to begin to self censor. The government and its political allies should not be able to dictate what we can say, let alone feel about a public figure living or dead. We don't have to um we don't have to believe in murder to at the same time see Charlie Kirk as somebody who was not a positive person um in our society and to need to need to express that the government um the the government is trying to put to make a to set guidelines about what's acceptable and what's not. They're trying to narrow the idea of what we can say and what
039we can't say, but they don't have that power unless we give it to them. I'm disappointed to see that my school district um took part in in this new McCarthyism. And I hope that um that we don't see a repeat of that and that our students and staff all have the um all have the freedom to say what they believe in. um in their in their private in their private lives. Um and um and that free speech um continues in that three free speech is respected both in school and out of school. >> Thank you. >> Next on the agenda, we have the superintendent report. So I'll turn it over to Superintendent Kirby. cookie. All right. Hopefully it's great. It is showing. All right. >> Good evening. I am pleased to report on events happening
040uh since our last board meeting this past September. Um we always align the work that we do that we do with our five goals that are in our strategic plan. Um, under goal one and goal two, I'm excited to announce that we have three Heights High seniors that have been named National Merit uh semi- finalists. Um, this is based on their performance on the PSAT. They will have the opportunity to advance to the finalist level and qualify for the National Merit Scholarship in February of 2026. So, they are uh semi- finalists and we will find out um how Gabriel Lev and Nora um performed um in terms of getting the scholarship this spring. We also in the month of September had our opening district leadership team meeting. During that meeting, we reviewed our report card
041performance uh from the 2324 school year. We talked about the different components of that report card that led to our increased performance um and moving to three and a half stars from two and a half stars the previous year. And we talked about how schools can connect the work um around achievement to the work that's happening in their building leadership teams and their teacherbased teams as well. We shared some updates on um where we are with our fall MAP testing um upcoming short cycle assessments um and then upcoming calendar changes and guidance as it relates to college and career readiness. AVID day was on Friday, September 12th. Now, that was a very busy day because that was also the day of homecoming. Um but I do want to make sure that we celebrate that work.
042uh Bob Swagger who is our director of college and career readiness um had the opportunity to promote this across the district. We are in a 20-year partnership with AVID and we've seen very strong results in including increased graduation rates, more students taking rigorous coursework, be it honors classes, CCP and CTE courses as well. Um we for this celebration and the celebration of AVID's 45 years of history, we invited students, educators, alumni, and families to join us by completing the phrase because of AVID I and post that on social media with the myabbid y hashtag. Uh September 22nd to 26 also is national gear up week. This is a federal grant that helps students and families around gaining early awareness and readiness for undergraduate programs. Um we have students who are being served by gear up
043in the class of 27, 28, class of 30 and 31. Um this program provides students with early exposure to college and careers, tutoring, mentoring, SAT and ACT test preparation. Um and our college now partners plan activities each day for students to celebrate National Gear Up Week. As relates to community partnerships, vision to learn continues um at Roxboro Elementary School and we have screenings coming up at Roxboro Middle School and Gir Elementary School. These pictures here just capture the spirit of our homecoming celebration that was held on Saturday, not Saturday, Friday, September 12th. Um, the winner of the homecoming parade was Fairfax Elementary School who had a 101 Dalmatian theme um to celebrate homecoming. But here you see pictures of >> um is his name Chomps from the Browns? >> Yes. >> I should know this.
044Oh god, I'm going to be in trouble now. From the Browns um here helping us celebrate our attendance winners. Um and then different um alumni groups and student and school groups and sports represented. Uh we held the father's walk um and donuts with grown-ups on September 18th. So these are some pictures from across our schools of uh family members that came to walk with students and have some coffee and some uh donuts or muffins um at our schools. As relates to our valued professionals, we do have six educators that earned Ohio master teacher designation. Uh that is Alexia Boils, Rachel Elliot, Ashley Fertig, Caitlyn Gerber, Christy Manilo, and Julia Ruddy. We also celebrated these students at our opening convocation. According to the Ohio State Board of Education, a master teacher demonstrates excellence inside and outside
045of the classroom through consistent leadership and focused collaboration to maximize student learning. A master teacher strives for distinguished teaching and continued professional growth as specified by the Ohio standards for the teaching profession. As it relates to valued professionals, uh we have uh celebrations for uh coaches. Coach coaches, I think I think this is like a um a quiz. I know it's HR professionals. I think it's tech >> and physical therapy. There you go. So those were the groups that were celebrated um this past month for their contribution to our students. So thank you to our coaches, our tech professionals, our HR professionals, and our physical therapists. And we have some wonderful upcoming events happening. Saturday, October 18th is our fall in love with CTE fair that will be held here at the high school from
04612 to 3. And we have the dedication ceremony from B for Bombgardner Middle School on Thursday, October 23rd. Uh program starts at 4:45. We'll have refreshments before that at 4:15. >> And still with a special guest. >> Yes, the special guest. >> The special guest will uh be in attendance with their family. We're excited about that. >> That's very cool. >> And then just wanted to share some upcoming dates. I won't um read all of these, but you know, we do have this in the record for people who watch our board meeting so they know what's coming up. It is the eighth week of the school year. Very hard to believe we are in week eight of the school year. And that concludes my report. Thank you. And next, Miss Laam, will you give us
047your treasurer's report, please? So, um I just want to start by saying um every month I have intended to move past um property tax legislation, but every month there is something um that is developing and hot topic um in This is a really really important topic. So I continue to bring it um to raise awareness um so that we can um take action collectively. >> Keep beating the drum. >> Keep beating that drum. >> Um as Miss Kirby said um everything we do is in alignment with our um strategic plan. And so this is in alignment with strategic um goal five. So, House Bill 335 is um called the Property Tax Relief Now Act. It was introduced um by Representative Thomas um and hold on just a sec. Okay. Representative um Romer um back in
048June. Um it had its second hearing um last Friday or um October 1st. Maybe that was Thursday. >> That was Wednesday. >> Wednesday. Okay. Thank you. Um so last week they had their second hearing. Um and then the next hearing um third hearing is actually tomorrow in Columbus at 11:30. I have linked um the link to where you can watch it. If you can't catch it live, it will replay, but it is worth listening to um the conversations that are being had. um about you um in a space that you are not in. >> The proposal um for this bill um plans to eliminate the school um eliminate inside millillage for schools. Um the inside millillage is the only millillage that school districts actually receive an increase on with the property valuation increase. um and
049that it's it would be a devastating blow um to get rid of inside millillage would strip school districts of an estimated $1.5 billion. Um it also proposes to restrict um financial levers, some of which has already been done. So, the Senate also voted last week to overturn the governor's veto on emergency substitute levies. Um, this these are the types of levies that um districts who have a hard time passing levies um typically try to put on. Um they are shortterm levies. they cannot go longer than 10 years and they are almost always for operating um expenses. Um this is yet another bill that attempts to strip that which has already been done. Um and then it also proposes to cap the growth of a dis of district's tax revenue. Um so those districts who are
050on the 20 mil floor um and again these are districts who have a hard time passing levies. Um districts who are on the 20 mil floor receive an increase in their as their property values increase um because they have levied um they they are at the floor or the minimum that they can levy. um and so they receive the increase. This attempts to limit that to 1% um each year. So just 3% growth um over 3 years. It also um again is trying to control the um carryover funds that school districts have. um actually penalizing districts for planning efficiently and effectively. Um and so they would like to allow county budget commissions to lower um taxes or provide less property tax revenue to districts who exceed a 30% balance. the impact of this um particularly
051for CHU if we were to lose um our inside millillage so I shared last month our inside millage is $4.45 mills um that would be a loss in revenue of $7.6 $6 million. >> Um, so you asked me like about percentage of budget, we're talking a little over 6% of our budget, >> which is significant. >> Absolutely significant. Um, it also forces districts to go back to the ballot for more money and more times to keep up with what they are are stripping away from districts. And then it's it makes it impossible for people like myself to plan effectively. It makes it difficult for districts who are responsible with their funding, who have long-term plans, um to, you know, replace cap to have capital expenditures and that sort of thing, who have those fund balances
052for that purpose. um if we are constantly trying to stay under 30%, we're liquidating funds um in an effort to not have them stripped away. Um so I I say this all to say, you know, raise your voice. Um make sure you are writing your legislators. Um we are doing that. Um, but it it takes a collective voice and I'd love for you to join us. >> That concludes my report. >> On that happy note, um, >> notice what's not being stripped away in there. Funds that are going to >> stadium, >> non-public schools, >> $105 million from the Secretary of World Wrestling. I mean, um, Department of Education, who didn't know what IDA stands for, >> and the 1.7 billion from tax revenue that the state has siphoned off from public education and sent
053to private schools instead. >> That was my point. >> Yeah, >> that's what's not being cut back. >> Correct. So, I want to read a couple of words from the Constitution of the State of Ohio. Article 6, section two, school funds. The General Assembly shall. Shall is an important word. It's not may, it's shall meaning it is their job. The general assembly shall make such provisions by taxation or otherwise as with the income arising from the school trust fund will secure a thorough and efficient system of common schools throughout the state. It is the job of Ohio's legislature to thoroughly and efficiently fund Ohio's public schools. Representative David Thomas has um been trying all year to make a name for himself. He's from Ashtabila County and um he is at the forefront of these um
054attempts to uh dismantle public education through uh basically just uh defunding us to the point where we wither on the vine. And so over the past few months, I have um tried to engage with Representative Thomas on his Facebook account where he posts daily pictures of himself here and there and often in relation to his work around taxes and um I have posted this exact post 50 times. Please explain in detail how the legislature plans to make up for the loss in revenue Ohio's public schools, local police forces, and fire departments will suffer if your plan to eliminate property taxes passes. I think it's a legitimate question for a citizen to expect an answer uh from the legislature who is leading this effort. I've asked it 50 times and he has never once replied. And
055the simple reason is there is no answer. You cannot eliminate property taxes in Ohio and fulfill your constitutional duty to thoroughly and efficiently fund public education in the state of Ohio. His refusal to answer is an answer, of course, and the answer seems to be that they will no longer fund public education in the state of Ohio and will instead continue to increase the funding for Ohio's private schools through ed choice vouchers and whatever nickels and dimes they can pull down from uh Secretary um McMahon. So, this really is a critical moment for supporters of public education in Ohio. Uh, it is time to engage often. Uh, and with everyone that we can touch. We don't need to reach out to our representatives, although it's always nice to do so. We are very fortunate to
056have Wanita Orent representing us in the Ohio House of Representatives and Kent Smith in the Ohio Senate and they are both incredible advocates for public education. >> And Dan Eric Ericenberg for >> Ericenberg. Thank you. Yes. >> Thanks to our gerrymandered state. University Heights and Cleveland Heights do not have the same representative. It was great to have a very good conversation with Representative Cinnenberg at the University Heights Fall Fest a couple weeks ago. Um, and it is important for them to have our support, but it is also important for us to engage with representatives uh and senators from outside of our district because the votes that they cast have incredible impact on our ability to deliver an education to the students in this building and all of the buildings. So, it is discouraging to say
057the very very least. And um as a person who is asking for uh another shot in this desk at this table, it makes me worry about where we will be when that term ends four years from now. So, these are important days, people. >> Thank you. Um, I was going to try to uh set a more positive tone in my report. Um, because I have found I'm feeling a bit heartened by the amount of collaboration that's going on in our community. Um, this past month in particular, we've had some big events with really big numbers. So, I'm going to talk a little bit about how important it is that we work together. We had a joint kindergarten registration event at Boulevard, which 450 people attended. 400, no, 450 families. Let me get the units correct.
058um which is massive. It was a little overwhelming and I'm sure that next year whatever the glitches are will be worked out. But that's very different from having you know 20 families in one building and 18 in another and 30 in another building. This was a huge event and a tremendous success and it shows that we can bring everybody together for the one, you know, common purpose of talking about kindergarten, get making sure that families know what they need to be ready and that the kids become familiar with what the expectations will be. Um, last spring, I think it was in May, the Tiger 5K run raised about $20,000, which was distributed to the PTAs of all of our buildings. And that's a again a huge communal event, which then helps all of the elementary
059school PTAs. And last week we had the Happy 5K which raised $25,000 for youth recreation scholarships. Another example of the community coming together to have fun, run on a beautiful morning and raise money to help all of our kids. And I I want to sort of emphasize that because it does help us get past the dark days. Um we had a work session recently during which we spoke about our multil- language learners and last year I don't have numbers for this year but last year we had 124 students whose first language is not English and they represented over 16 languages within our district which I think is another indication of how we come together as a community. We welcome anybody who comes and we provide what is necessary for those students and their families to
060become part of our community and it's again these are just numbers but they're numbers which make me happy as opposed to the numbers which make me want to tear my hair out. So, um I was also happy about the fact that our high school turf is coming in less than expected and that it lasted longer than expected. Um a good number. We have um three new people in important administrative positions because of last summer's retirements. Miss Laam is one of them. Sam Gford is one and Curtis Washington is is another. And I just want to encourage the community to be patient as the transition from >> previous person to new person continues. There's bound to be a few glitches, but the new people are all working incredibly well in their positions and things change with
061new leadership and that's good. Um, obviously today's fantastic number is over a thousand students with perfect attendance in the first six weeks of the school year. I mean, that makes me so happy. That's all I'm going to say. Just so happy. Um, we have Okay, things that are a little disjointed, but I need to get them out there in public. Um, we have changed our schedule for of meetings to accommodate changes from Columbus which affect the library and the library board. They are no longer on seven-year terms. They are on four-year terms like the rest of us. Um, the library board has had to change their bylaws to uh reflect the changes in state law and they have requested that we meet to do library interviews in the month of November so that the nominating
062committee can then um do their work in December in order to then elect the president of the library board at their first organizational meeting in January. In the past, the president has basically been the most senior person um on that 7-year cycle. So, they're changing their structure and in order to accommodate them, we will be meeting to do the library interviews. Help. Where is it? on November Wednesday, November the 12th um instead of our regular first Tuesday in December. And in the future, we will need to rejigger our schedule so that we do the library interviews. I think instead of the November work session and then we can have the December meeting schedule look like October and January regular meeting on this first Tuesday work session on the third Tuesday of December. So it's going
063to be a change in the way we do business to make sure that we can accommodate the library because we are required by Ohio law to be the ones to interview the library board members. So, it's been a rough few days trying to sort it all out and make sure we can all get it done properly, but I think that will work in the future. Um, couple other things. Happy right to read week. So, if there's a band book you love, sit down and read it. I would have said yesterday, sit down in the sunshine and read it, but it's raining. So, find someplace warm and dry and read something that makes you think or makes you question. Um, I'm looking forward to the CTE fair um on Saturday the 18th and the Halloween festival,
064which is what it's called now, on Lee Road, also Saturday, October 18th, the Candy Crawl. Um, the city will be closing the street on Saturday afternoon, the 18th of October, so that kids can run around and get candy. And I'm happy to be there and throw candy at them because why not, right? Um, Wednesday the 15th of October, we have a ceremonial opening for the new community garden, the community playground, sorry, at Calonia Elementary School. It's at 12:30 or 1:00, I believe, and I will be rushing over there from my morning appointments. Um, and then of course Thursday the 23rd of October, we have the renaming ceremony for Bumgardner Middle School. And because our next meeting will be too late, I want to make sure everybody is aware of lay miz right here on this
065stage. There will be two evening performances and two matineese on the 1st of November and the 8th of November. Those are 700 p.m. curtains. And on the 2nd of November and the 9th of November, those are the matineese at I believe 2:00. Is that right, Keith? Thank you. I need confirmation. Uh, Miss Laam has told us about one House bill we need to pay attention to. That's number 335 about um levies and school funding. There are a few other bills which I would appreciate the community paying attention to and expressing their opinions on. Um, House Bill 486, which um, the Reverend Ben Hulcamp has described as smashing the wall between church and state. Um, this is a bill that would require uh instruction about American history to include a specific religious Christian perspective on the
066historic development of our country. Um, to the exclusion of course of anybody else. Um, not necessarily a good approach to teaching history. Uh there's also Senate Bill 272 which would allow students to take what's called a civics's assessment instead of the standard end of course exam for American government. Uh nobody's quite sure what this civics's assessment would be or who would judge it and what the criteria are. If you take American government, you're supposed to learn certain things and you should show that you have learned them. um rather than bypassing the standard methodology. Um and then of course we have our two favorites um Senate Bill 113 and House Bill 155 which are essentially the same bill but one was presented in one house and the other was presented in the other. and they are
067both um bans on diversity in the K through 12 public education system that mirror um Senate Bill one for higher education in Ohio. So, those are all things to pay attention to. And if you have a free minute, make a phone call to somebody in Columbus, anybody in Columbus, and tell them what you think about these bills. And that's it for me. Do we have any board committee reports? I'll start with you. Uh, I get to steal the committee that Jod and I are both on. Uh, safety committee met for the first time this year. uh had I think a really great productive meeting. Um and I I it's it's from my perspective uh great because we're getting into the sort of continuous improvement um part of of the process which I think is a
068really good place to be uh to continue to look at and refine processes to make sure that um we're providing uh a a safe learning environment for all students. Um, not really directly related to that, but adjacent to that, um, I want to thank, uh, our city government in Cleveland Heights. Um, I know we've got a meeting on the books later this week to talk about, uh, violence prevention with the city as well as the county, uh, which is a we're sort of picking up, uh, a partnership that was a couple years old, I'd say, Liz, would you say? Um but that had been um had not been given the time. So I'm very appreciative of uh current mayor Cuda for that. Um and uh from other committees uh join your PTA. That's it's always
069a good >> join your PTA. >> Always a good plug. Yeah. The only other thing I have to add about the safety meeting is we talked a lot about um how the schools are implementing the um phone policies or the no phone policies and I want to thank parents for their patience um during that time and students as well. I know it's a big change for some of the kids and uh our staff as well. So we that was a lot of the discussion we had on um the last meeting and uh the recruitment and retention committee has not met yet for this year but I think it's scheduled to meet soon. >> Okay. Policy committee met for the first time yesterday and board docs was down. So I want to thank Mr. Patton for
070his ability to talk us through things without actually showing them to us. Um, we have a very long list of policies we're going to be working on. Um, and they're going to come trickling in as soon as we can get things worked out. >> Mr. Hines, >> uh, the Heightschools Foundation continues to plan for the party a century in the making, which is the celebration of this building at this location. It will take place over three evenings uh around the Saturday uh the June 20th of 2026 6 2026. So um mark the day on the on your calendar and um put your dancing shoes on. >> Miss Grinch. >> Yes. Uh so I had the uh honor to host the Heights Athletic Boosters table at the Fitness Under the Lights event. Um and it was
071a really amazing turnout. Um I did not get a chance to participate in the two workouts. Um but it was a lot of uh excitement for them. Um and it was a intergenerational event. Um I also want to say that there are still yard signs available for families. um if your students are participating um in any of those activities. And then lastly, I would like to share um a once-ina-lifetime chance uh to own a Heights Kelsey jersey that is signed by both Jason and Kylie Kelsey. Um and so it is a replica jersey that Jason wore um between 2002 and 2008 um that has his number 48 on it. Um, and it will be raffled off December 19th during the hockey game. Um, one ticket is $10. Um, so please support and you can purchase
072your tickets um on HeightsBoosters.org. >> Thank you. And the hockey game is a Friday at 7. Is that correct? >> It is a Friday. Not sure of the time, but it is against Northolmstead. >> Oh. >> All right. Okay. Good. >> Yeah. >> So, there's Jason's signature and then Kylie has written Goirds on it. So, you know, >> thank you. Um, is there any new business? uh not new business per se, but uh as I'm talking about city government, congratulations uh to our our uh our new city council president who is a district parent >> in that uh Gail Larson is the parent of a district teacher. So, uh good connection there. >> And the interim mayor is a Cleveland Heights eye grad. So, Tiger Nation rules. Um, any unfinished business, correspondence, announcements? I don't
073know if this is a I guess it would fall under announcements, but I just want to thank uh Chrissy Dietrich Gallagher for organizing the homecoming parade. She does it every year. She does an excellent job, and it's always fantastic. So, I just wanted to give her a public shout out for that, >> especially now that she no longer has a child in the district. >> That's right. A good point. >> Yeah. >> She's aged out, but still the best party. >> Still too young to age out of anything. >> Well, once a tiger, always a tiger. >> That's right. Yep. >> Yep. It's like the mafia. >> I'm not sure I would make that parallel, but okay. Um All right. May I have a motion to adjourn the meeting, please? I motion we adjourn. >>
074Second. >> Miss Leam. >> Mr. Heights. >> Yes. >> Mrs. Willis. >> Yes. >> Mr. Rainey. >> Yes. >> Mr. Tremble. >> Yes. >> Mrs. Cranaw. >> Yes. >> Thank you and good night.