Dear CH-UH Families,

On Thursday, I had the pleasure of attending the FutureHeights Shared Spaces Community Forum. It was a great opportunity to meet neighbors and learn about how they connect to their local schools. I was also able to share with them the exciting plans for our pilot Community Learning Center that will launch at Noble next school year. The excitement they shared about the CLC and District happenings as a whole reminded me that residents so often see public schools as a vital piece of their neighborhoods. I know this sentiment did not magically appear overnight; it was created over time and through the dedication of families like you, our staff, and all community members.

I also enjoyed serving as a judge on Wednesday for the 30th Annual Reaching Heights Spelling Bee, a longtime favorite tradition in the Heights. This year, the funds raised will go to support the Many Villages Tutoring program and Role Model Speakers program. Special thanks to the Cleveland Heights Teachers Union and the Board of Education who participated again this year. I won’t spoil the results for you, but there is a new winner in town! You can watch the event recording here.

Celebrating our staff
Congratulations to the Teachers, Helping Hands, and Administrators of the Year finalists! These honorees were chosen by their colleagues through district-wide voting. The candidates were our building winners.

These finalists will move on to a panel interview to determine the overall winners. The District Teacher of the Year, Helping Hand of the Year, and Administrator of the Year will be announced at the Staff Awards Ceremony on June 2. Attendance will be limited, but this year, the event will be streamed live on our YouTube channel.

Teacher Appreciation Week kicks off Monday
Despite the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic, Tiger Nation educators are working hard to ensure every student has the tools they need to reach their full potential. Use the hashtag #ThankATeacherCHUH to share appreciation for our Tiger Nation educators during Teacher Appreciation Week, May 3-7. We have fun plans to celebrate our teachers; keep an eye out on our social media for a special video at the end of the week.

Update to Fair School Funding Plan
The Senate is considering changes to the state budget bill, House Bill (HB) 110, which may remove the Fair School Funding Plan from the bill and replace it with a different funding mechanism.

The Fair School Funding Plan, originally contained in HB 1, must be used as the foundation for the development of a school-funding model that is rational, transparent, and fair. The Plan was developed over a three-year period by educational practitioners who shared their work and sought the feedback of public school leaders from across the state. The plan has been fully vetted and approved by the House of Representatives.

I ask you today to please contact State Senator Sandra Williams and Senate leadership listed here, and emphasize that the Fair School Funding Plan must be used as the foundation for school-funding discussions as the budget bill is developed. It is imperative that Senators continue to hold hearings to fully vet the plan and to ensure they understand the components that make up this constitutionally sound plan:

1. A base cost that defines the costs for educating a “typical child” in Ohio;
2. A determination of the local share based upon the ability of a school district’s community to generate revenue considering its income level and its property values;
3. Categorical aid that addresses the unique needs of economically disadvantaged students, students with disabilities, gifted students, and English learners.

Thank you for your continued advocacy on behalf of fair funding for our schools.

Additional COVID-19 vaccine opportunity Tuesday, May 4
The ESC and Giant Eagle Pharmacy will host a vaccination clinic for anyone 16 and older on May 4 from 3pm – 9pm. Register and find additional information here. The ESC is located at 6393 Oak Tree Blvd., Independence, Ohio. Please email questions to [email protected].

COVID-19 case summary for the week of April 26
Since Monday, April 26, we have received reports of 2 staff members and zero students testing positive for COVID-19. These cases are reflected on the District’s case reporting dashboard. The county remains in Level 3 “red” alert level status in the Ohio Public Health Advisory System. The data released by the Ohio Department of Health on Thursday show that four of the seven indicators are currently met.

When staff and students who have been in District buildings test positive for COVID-19, we send notices to the families whose children attend the affected schools and to the staff members of those schools. We also post the notices on chuh.org and our District app, available for Android and iPhone. This document contains the process following a staff or student testing positive for COVID-19.

Have a wonderful and relaxing weekend.

Sincerely,
Superintendent Kirby