6 minute read
District News and Updates
HEIGHTS HIGH SCHOOL Heights High Football “Build the Bridge” for Change MONTICELLO, BOULEVARD, OXFORD Schools Make Socially Distanced Connections
Heights High’s head football coach Mac Stephens has the same goal he’s always had as a coach: to change lives. “We develop players academically, socially and athletically,” he says of the high school coaching staff who recently launched the Build the Bridge program to break down racial stereotypes and barriers between football teams of different backgrounds. Build the Bridge pairs teams of different racial, socio-economic, religious or geographic backgrounds so they can connect with one another and discover that they likely have more in common than just a love of football. The program has received recognition from the National Football League and more than 60 school teams across five states have already signed up to participate.
Advertisement
HEIGHTS HIGH SCHOOL Heights High Sees Increase AP Students, Test Scores
CH-UH is putting its Equity Policy to good use, addressing long-standing issues of academic disparities head-on. In 2015, Heights High took a hard look at its twenty-one Advanced Placement courses and discovered that, in a building where the vast majority of students are black, the most rigorous classes were almost entirely white. The wheels were thus set in motion for a systemic change at Heights High. It took the concerted effort of administrators, teachers and students to get to an achievement level that has resulted in three years of great news. Last fall, Heights was one of nine schools in Ohio to be named to the AP Honor Roll, which recognizes buildings that increase AP participation without a significant reduction in scores. In 2020, Heights High boasted a nearly 20% increase in the number of students earning a score of 3 or higher on AP exams, the standard for earning college credit. 52 students were named as AP Scholars by CollegeBoard for earning scores of 3 on three or more exams. These results have been eye-opening. Dr. McKinnie believes that even more Heights students can do at least that well, saying “it’s not our job to be gate-keepers,” but to instead throw the doors wide open and “provide experiences and exposures early on. We must keep equity at the center of all we do.” One of the most exciting things about the start of the year for students is meeting new people and making new friends. Remote learning poses a particular challenge for students, especially those in transition grades, who haven’t yet had the chance to meet their new peers. Tiger Nation schools have found creative ways to connect while staying safe. Monticello Middle’s physical education teacher Desi Stewart wanted to give 6th graders “the opportunity to interact in a safe way, so there are familiar faces when they return to school.” So, Mr. Stewart organized a socially distanced ‘Kickball Kickoff.’ Boulevard Elementary proudly marched in a ‘Superhero Spirit Cruise’ where families either cruised slowly through the parking lot or walked according to social distancing guidelines, greeted teachers, waved signs and enjoyed individually packaged snacks. Oxford Elementary welcomed its families and community to a drive-in movie screening of Disney’s Coco at the school. Popcorn and concessions were available.
Roxboro Elementary had an amazing week celebrating “Start With Hello!” this October. Start With Hello Week was established by the Sandy Hook Promise foundation to raise awareness and educate students on how to reduce social isolation and create a more connected and inclusive school and community overall. This is more important now than ever due to the fact that we can’t be physically together. Students at Roxboro Elementary were encouraged to participate in random acts of kindness and spread positivity by writing positive messages and emails to their classmates and teachers. They were also encouraged to pen positive messages to their family members at home.
ALUMNI NEWS College in the Age of COVID
Hannah Teets and Lila Schubert, 2020 graduates of Cleveland Heights High School, are both enrolled as freshmen at the University of Rochester. But the beginning of their college experiences could not be more different. Hannah Teets began her school year with a two-week quarantine on campus, while Lila Schubert began hers from behind a computer screen at her home in Cleveland Heights. “I’ve been looking forward to going to college for as long as I can remember,” says Hannah, “I feel like I’ve been here for six months already. I’ve become really close, really fast to so many new friends. I didn’t expect to be so comfortable … It really feels like home.” Lila, who can move onto campus at any point, is confident that she made the right decision staying home. “This works for me,” she says of virtual schooling, “I really like my classes and they feel super manageable.
A STORY OF COMMUNITY Baseball Players Help Families During Fire
As the Cleveland Heights High School’s 18U summer baseball team played a game on the home field over the summer, partway through the game, they were surprised by a loud bang. With the sight and smell of smoke in the air and the sudden sound of children screaming, players and fans from both teams rushed to a house on Washington Boulevard to help. A recently renovated duplex had caught fire due to faulty wiring, leaving two families, totaling 12 people and a dog, without a home. Parents from the Heights Baseball Boosters immediately stepped up to help, promoting separate GoFundMe accounts for each family and coordinating donations of clothing and household goods. “In what has been a terrible year,” said Heights parent Vikki Nowak, “this is a story of community. Even the players have found ways to help.”
HALL OF FAME SUPPORTERS AND SPONSORS
The 40th Anniversary Hall of Fame was certainly like no other. In an all virtual format, the program reached more students, families, community members and alumni than ever before thanks to the support of the following committee members and other sponsors. We are grateful for your support of this impactful program.
Co-Chairs
Jules Belkin ’49 Ambassador Gina Abercrombie-Winstanley ’76
Committee Members
Alexis Abramson PhD ’91 Jacob Dijkstra MD ’64 Jeff Johnson ’91 Tovah Klein PhD ’82 Deborah A. Kohn ’67 Barbara Deming Lurie ’64 Mark Lurie MD ’62 JoAnne Manson MD ’71 Tony Phalen ’82 Martin Samuels MD ’63 Christopher Young ’90 Chryssa Zizos ’90
Additional Sponsors
Mr. Brisket - Hank Kornblut ’81 Victor ’51 & Ellen ’53 Cohn Adam Fried ’87 Burton Saltzman ’55
LIMITED TIME ONLY ENGRAVED PAVER CAMPAIGN BRICK OPPORTUNITIES RETURN FOR A LIMITED TIME BRICKS WILL BE PLACED AT HEIGHTS HIGH IN SUMMER 2021
While tours of Heights have been on hold due to the pandemic, the beautiful brick pathway remains available for anyone to visit. Add your own engraved brick to the beautiful pathway around the flagpole in the front yard of Heights High by making a donation to the Heights Schools Foundation today! Thank a favorite teacher. Give a shout out to a friend, sibling or parent. Organize a brick for your graduating class. Remember a loved one. Orders will be accepted while supplies last for summer 2021 installation. Funds raised after the installation of the bricks support academic enrichment, distinguished Alumni Hall of Fame and speaker series, historic archives, scholarships for graduating seniors and more.
CHOOSE YOUR PAVER SIZE _______ 4"x8", up to 3 lines ($250) or _____ 8"x8", up to 6 lines ($500)
Name _______________________________________ Class (month/year if applicable) _____________________
PLEASE FILL IN DESIRED TEXT. SPACES AND PUNCTUATION ARE CONSIDERED CHARACTERS.
Mail your donation to: Heights Schools Foundation - 2155 Miramar Boulevard, University Heights, Ohio 44118 or make your donation online at: HeightsSchoolsFoundation.org
