This page has been established to update the community-at-large about current Board of Education discussions surrounding the closing of one elementary school building. Please refer to this page for updates in this process and announcements for new meetings.

For an email notification of Board of Education Summary Notes, school news, and upcoming events, send an email to CHUH_Newsflash@chuh.org and type "Subscribe" in the subject field.

Celebrate Coventry’s History - August 22, 2007
Celebrating 90 Years of Teaching and Learning

Board of Education Meeting - December 11, 2006 Updated information was presented to the Board of Education on data, timelines, and outreach to families. Presentation to the Board of Education

Update on Elementary Attendance Zones - September 25, 2006 The file below contains an alphabetical listing of each street, including addresses, in the Cleveland Heights – University Heights City School District identifying the elementary attendance zone for the following school year. 2007-2008 Elementary Attendance Zone Alphabetical Street List

Board of Education Meeting - September 11, 2006 After further discussion, the Board of Education approved the attendance boundaries that were presented at the August 30, 2006 work session. The District will begin running a list of street addresses corresponding to each elementary school attendance zone. Upon completion, the list will be available on this site to download. Adjusted Elementary School Boundaries and Data Sheets

Board of Education Work Session - August 30, 2006 Elementary Reorganization Attendance Boundary Review Presentation
Powerpoint Presentation
Maps (17.2MB)

Board of Education Work Session on Elementary Attendance Boundaries Wednesday, August 30, at 7 p.m., Wiley Middle School

A timeline was developed whereby the Administration would study the boundaries in-depth, and make necessary adjustments, with final Board approval by the end of October 2006. However, the administration is working to accelerate this process, and will present the finalized attendance boundaries to the Board for review at their August 30 work session.

Special Board Meeting at Coventry Elementary - August 21, 2006 The Cleveland Heights - University Heights Board of Education is holding a meeting to answer questions and discuss next steps regarding the Elementary Reorganization process and the decision to close Coventry Elementary School. The Meeting will be held Monday, August 21, at 7 p.m. in the Coventry Elementary multipurpose room. Attendees will be welcome to voice questions at the meeting. Those who wish to submit questions prior to the meeting can do so by emailing M_Dougherty@chuh.org, or by leaving a voice message at 216-320-2233.

Updated Frequently Asked Questions - August 3, 2006
Timeline and Important Dates

Watch the June 12 Board Meeting on Adelphia Cable Channel 22 The June 12 Board of Education Meeting airs daily at 7:00 a.m., 1:00 p.m., and 7:00 p.m.

Elementary Reorganization – Decision to Close Coventry Elementary School At the Monday, June 12th Board Meeting, the Board of Education voted to close Coventry Elementary School. Coventry Elementary will close following the end of the 2006-2007 school year, and the new seven-school elementary configuration will be implemented at the beginning of the 2007-2008 school year.

Board Member Statements from the June 12, 2006 Meeting Mark Phillips
Kal Zucker
Michael Cicero
Ronald Register
Wendy Leatherberry

Regular Board of Education Meeting Agenda for June 12, 2006 The Board of Education will vote to identify the elementary building for closure at its meeting on Monday, June 12, beginning at 7 p.m. in the Wiley Middle School Auditorium.

Report of the May 15 Community Dialogue Results on School Closure Scenarios
Summary of May 15 Community Dialogue Results on School Closure Scenarios
May 15 Community Dialogue Results by School Affiliation

At a Special Work Session on June 6, a report was presented to the Board detailing the results of the second Community Dialogue session on school closure scenarios. This document is a summary of the June 6 report. The June 6 meeting was held in the Wiley Middle School Auditorium at 7 p.m.

Update on Elementary School Capital Improvement Costs – June 2, 2006
Decision to Remove Gearity, Noble, and Oxford Closure Scenarios – May 22, 2006
Update on Elementary School Capital Improvement Costs – May 22, 2006

The following scenarios were presented at the May 15 Community Dialogue Session. School Closure and Attendance Zone Scenarios – May 15, 2006
Provide Feedback on School Closure Scenarios – May 15, 2006

Follow the link to respond to the same set of critical questions presented at the May 15 Community Dialogue Session. The online question sheet will be active until Tuesday, May 23, 2006. A Special Board Work Session will be held on Tuesday, June 6, to review and discuss the results of the second Community Dialogue Session.

Board Seeks Community Input on Elementary School Closure Scenarios

The Cleveland Heights – University Heights City School District will host a second Community Dialogue Session on Monday, May 15, beginning at 7 p.m. in the Cleveland Heights High School Social Room (13263 Cedar Road). Child care will be provided.

Criteria to Create Scenarios for Closing an Elementary School

Results Report on Criteria from the first Community Dialogue Session held on March 15 At a community dialogue session on March 15, nearly 300 residents worked through sets of critical questions in order to prioritize criteria the Board of Education should consider when making its decision to close an elementary school.

March 15, 2006 Community Dialogue Background Report and on-line Community Dialogue Questionnaire

March 13, 2006 Board of Education Meeting Update on Timeline, Community Input, and Decision Points Powerpoint Presentation
Statement by Superintendent Deborah S. Delisle
Board Discussions Leading to the Timeline
Frequently Asked Questions

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Statement by Superintendent Deborah S. Delisle
Board of Education Meeting January 9, 2006 PowerPoint available from January 9, 2006 Board of Education Meeting

First, let me begin by saying that the prospect of closing an elementary school building in the Cleveland Heights-University Heights School District is a daunting one. Each of our elementary schools has a rich history, with many families attached to the school their child attends or attended. I want to note that we have significant ground to cover before any reorganization decisions are made. However, the comments made this evening and the feedback and opinions we receive throughout this process will be considered. We appreciate all of you taking the time to give us feedback, and we will work to make sure you stay informed as we move forward.

Thus the decision to close one of our eight elementary buildings is one that must be orderly, deliberative, transparent, and acted on using the best information possible. The decision must be made in the context of a set of criteria that involves the analysis of much information, including population and housing trends, capacity of facilities, operational and maintenance costs, the potential for the land and/or building when closed, impact on students and neighborhoods, as well as other factors. It is unlikely that any one single criterion will provide the best solution to our dilemma of declining student enrollment. This makes the decision even more complex.

I will remind all of us that this decision is not just about closing one elementary school. This decision will impact all schools as all attendance boundaries will be readjusted. This readjustment will require considerable work as well as testing the potential transportation routes. In essence, many families will be impacted by this important decision facing the BOE. In fact, this may very well be one of the most important decisions made within the past twenty years.

As I share the timeline that the administrative team arrived at, I would like you to keep in mind the following items:

• The timeline was developed following an exhaustive review of other districts that have faced similar situations, as well as analyzing the various activities associated with closing a school.
  
• The timeline spans the remainder of this school year as well as the 2006-2007 school year. To some, this may seem long. However, given the scope and depth of the work, we believe that the timeline respects the many steps involved in the process and utilizes time effectively to make a sound set of decisions.
  
• There is a recognition that many of the primary activities cannot be completed simultaneously. For example, we cannot begin to work on adjusting school boundaries until we know what school will be closed. Or, we cannot predict our staffing needs until we have an idea about the number of students at each grade level and the number of sections we anticipate of each grade level.
  
• There are many unknowns for us. For example, we cannot yet predict the changes in transportation or the number of students who are able to walk to their schools until we formulate new attendance zones. This is just one of the primary reasons why the collection and analysis of data is so critical.
  
• While all factors will be considered in the eventual decision, we recognize that we must find strategies that lead to the best long-term decision for the school and our communities.
  
• For sure, not everyone will be happy with the eventual decision. With this in mind, the administrative team is offering a process that we feel takes all known factors into consideration.
  
• At no time will the education programs be compromised during or after this process. We are committed to the academic achievement of all students, and the significant proficiency gains we saw last year are still driving us to continued success.

   

   

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Board Discussions Leading to the Timeline

Click Here (File: Elementary Reorganization Update 11-28-05 Board Meeting) to view the presentation detailing the changes the District has seen in its student population since boundary lines were last redrawn 20 years ago.

At the November 28th Board Work Session, the Board and a group of administrators discussed the topic of Elementary Reorganization and presented information concerning a declining student enrollment that is not efficiently aligned with District personnel and facilities.

The four factors driving this discussion include:

1. Enrollment: Unfortunately, the District continues to experience a decline in enrollment. During the past three years alone, elementary enrollment has decreased by 432 students, the equivalent of our largest elementary building. The wide variances in enrollment across the District need to be addressed. Viewing declining enrollment across the District, as opposed to individual buildings, provides us with a concerning issue.

2. Personnel: At the elementary level, there are 127 regular education classes. Of these, thirty-seven have fewer than twenty students while three have enrollments of 26-27 students. This unequal distribution of students causes issues when students transfer into buildings, particularly those with only two sections at a grade level. For example, an addition of five students often causes an additional teacher to be hired. An overuse of traveling teachers causes difficulty in scheduling, time away from students, and difficulty with engaging special area teachers into the culture of a school (although our traveling teachers do a marvelous job at negotiating their work with different staffs).

3. Facilities and Operations: The District has the same number of facilities as we had during a time of significantly higher enrollment. While understanding that programs have changed, there still is a need to really reflect on the available educational spaces in each of our buildings and whether or not they are being used as efficiently and effectively as possible. As operation costs continue to escalate, it is important that we review the use of all of our facilities. When comparing the square footage of facility space in our District to other districts, there is quite a significant difference with CH-UH allocating far more square footage per student than other districts. Of course, such comparisons require additional analysis.

4. Financial Issues: State revenue is more uncertain than ever before and we continue to experience losses such as those associated with tangible personal property tax and Medicaid reimbursements. Declining enrollment also yields fewer dollars from the state. The potential savings realized by closing an elementary building is just over one million dollars.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Why does the District need to close a school?
How will this impact families and students?
How will this impact education at our schools?
How will this impact finances?
Has the Board already made a decision about which school they want to close?
Why is the process happening so quickly (or slowly)?
Why now?
What is the timeline for this process?
Why is an "outsider" doing the study?
What other cost savings have you considered, other than closing a school?
What will happen to the building that is closed?
What buildings are being considered for closing?
What will be the impact on the buildings that aren't closed?
How have Cleveland Heights and University Heights been involved in the process?
Will this mean kids are bused further?
What if I didn't want my child to go to the school assigned?
Will teachers and other staff lose their jobs?
Where can I get informed and stay updated?

Why does the District need to close a school? Top of ListIn the last 20 years, the District has experienced a decline of more than 800 elementary students, with half occurring in the last three years. In addition, our population has shifted within our District, growing in some areas, and declining significantly in others.

It's been 20 years since we rebalanced the District, and it is time that we do so again.

Some of our schools are seriously underutilized. There are wide differences in the numbers of students per class and specialists serving students, from school to school. This forces the District to move teachers throughout the District, which is expensive, and it creates inequities in educational experiences. Additionally, it is difficult to schedule transfer students into their home schools throughout the year because of the wide variances in class enrollments.

Lastly, we are committed to running the District efficiently to limit taxpayer costs. We currently have much more square footage per student than other districts which causes additional expenses for operation. Closing a building means the District will realize a savings of about $1 million.

How will this impact families and students? Top of List

Through the realignment of Attendance Zones and the closing of an elementary school building, students in many areas throughout the District could be impacted, which is why the Board is working to ensure that they are communicating with families at every step. Even though a student's elementary school doesn't close, the changes in boundary lines could mean that they will attend a different school.

How will this impact education at our schools? Top of List

Elementary Reorganization will allow the District to continue providing an excellent education for our students. Class sizes will become more equitable across the District, which will mean less need to move teachers and classes around, making the education experience more stable and efficient. We will be able to utilize our staff more effectively while also providing a more equitable distribution of staff.

How will this impact finances? Top of List

The closing of an elementary school will mean an immediate savings of more than $1 million. Additionally, the entire Elementary Reorganization process will allow the District to operate all of our elementary schools more efficiently and effectively, which will save the District even more money down the road.

Has the Board already made a decision about which school they want to close? Top of List

No decision has been made yet and no decision will be made until the Board completes this open process. The Board will gather information and data, hold public forums, listen to the community, and after a thorough public discussion, come to a decision based on the best interests of the District as a whole.

Why is the process happening so quickly (or slowly)? Top of List

The reorganization process is planned so that the District can gather the data necessary to make a sound decision, involve the community in the process, and provide time for families to be aware of changes to their children's schools. Once the decision is made in June as to which building will close, substantial work must still be accomplished in the following areas: changing of attendance zones, changing of transportation routes, staff transfers, moving of the closed building's equipment, a celebration of the history of the being scheduled to be closed, etc.

Why now? Top of List

Elementary reorganization began three years ago, as a result of the Board's Budget Reduction process. Since then, our enrollment has declined even further, and the factors which initiated this process have become more pressing. After 20 years without rebalancing, it's time.

What is the timeline for this process? Top of List

As dates for community forums and discussions are finalized, all community members will be informed.

Why is an "outsider" doing the study? Top of List

The District has contracted with DeJong, Inc., to develop enrollment projections based on demographic data, and to help us involve the community in developing the rebalancing plan.

DeJong is the nation's leading educational planning firm. They have worked successfully on similar projects in similar districts all over the country, and some outside the country. An outside expert will help ensure that we are viewing each decision objectively.

What other cost savings have you considered, other than closing a school? Top of List

Since 2003, the Board has cut more than $6 million from the budget. The Board continues to look for ways to save money. However, the Board has stated that with the significant cuts already made in recent years, there are few areas left where substantial cuts can be made without directly impacting educational quality.

While reorganization will save the District more than $1 million, savings are not the primary reason for this process. Reorganization is being driven more by a need to keep the District efficient, effective and equitable now and in the near future.

What will happen to the building that is closed? Top of List

The Board will work with city and other community leadership to determine what use makes the most sense. We will keep the community informed. It is not our intent to leave a building abandoned.

What buildings are being considered for closing? Top of List

Since the Board is not beginning the process with any preconceived ideas, almost all buildings are being considered. The exception is Gearity Elementary, because it is the only elementary school located in University Heights. The District also recently moved the pre-school program to Gearity from Millikin, and we have partnered with John Carroll University to transform Gearity into a Professional Development School.

What will be the impact on the buildings that aren't closed? Top of List

Even though only one building will be closed, elementary enrollment boundary lines will change, meaning that enrollments at every elementary building may be shifted to some extent.

How have Cleveland Heights and University Heights been involved in the process? Top of List

The District is keeping leaders from each city involved in the process and aware of all details. The information we receive from the GIS/Demographic Study will be of interest to them, as it will illustrate zoning/demographics/population issues cities need to know.

Will this mean kids are bused further? Top of List

Once Reorganization is complete, new bus routes will be determined for students and the Board will work with parents to ensure their comfort with the new routes and pickup locations. While the distance to a new school for a particular student may be more or less than it is now, the District will continue to provide busing for elementary students.

What if I didn't want my child to go to the school assigned? Top of List

The purpose of Elementary Reorganization is to rebalance attendance zones. A few alternate placements may be available through the State Intra-District enrollment guidelines.

Will teachers and other staff lose their jobs? Top of List

Without completing this process, we can't predict the precise impact on staff. The Board and the Administration will work with teachers and staff throughout this process to include them in discussions and keep them informed.

Where can I get informed and stay updated? Top of List

You can also follow the process at www.chuh.org (click on the "Elementary Reorganization" on the home page.)

You can receive an email update on the process by sending an email to CHUH_Newsflash@chuh.org, and typing 'Subscribe' in the subject field.

If you have any questions about the Reorganization process, you can call Dr. Joseph Micheller, our Director of Educational Services, who is spearheading this process, at: 216-320-2008.