Cleveland Plan News
Highlighting our progress and partners
September 2021
State of the Schools charts course for future (Video, photo gallery)
The impact of a once-in-a-lifetime pandemic has given CMSD a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to take education in a dramatically new and better direction, Chief Executive Officer Eric Gordon said Sept. 22 in his annual State of the Schools Address.
CMSD has amassed impressive gains in the last decade. But with the help of federal COVID relief funds, the District is moving toward a system that is “more fair, just and good” for students and educators, the CEO told an audience watching from the Renaissance Cleveland Hotel ballroom and online.
(Watch the State of the Schools address.)
The shutdown brought on by the pandemic allowed the District to begin using new tools, including learning that is based on competency, can occur anytime or anywhere, is more individualized and focuses on the whole child, including the child’s social, emotional, cultural and physical well-being.
ABC features CMSD’s work on digital divide
CMSD’s push to help bridge the digital divide in Cleveland caught the attention of ABC News, which featured the effort in its “America Strong” series.
Correspondent Terry Moran visited the city to record the segment, which aired Sept. 19 on “This Week With George Stephanopoulos.”
Few places were hit harder than Cleveland when the pandemic took hold and students abruptly switched to remote learning. The city is No. 1 in the nation in child poverty and has been ranked as the worst digitally connected big city in the United States.
CMSD immediately swung into action, pulling together grant funds to make sure every student had a suitable device and connection to reliable high-speed internet. The program is continuing now that students have returned to in-person learning.
The segment features CEO Eric Gordon, DigitalC Chief Executive Dorothy Baunach, Tremont Montessori teacher Tina Kovach and one of Kovach’s students, Natalia McFadden.
Fathers walk to show support for their children (Video)
Dads, grandfathers, and father figures converged on schools across the District on Sept. 23 as part of the 16th annual Fathers Walk.
The walk is a part of Cuyahoga County and nationwide initiatives designed to show how important it is for fathers to be involved in the lives of their children.
CMSD CEO Eric Gordon walked Jubili, whom he calls his granddaughter, to Paul L. Dunbar School.
“It is so important that our fathers and father figures are engaged in our children’s lives,” he said. “What this day does for me is bring visibility to the mythology that our urban parents don’t care. You look here at Paul Dunbar or across the city where these fathers'walks are happening, and you are going to see lots fathers and father figures.”
CMSD teachers bring summer STEM experience to classroom
While students were enjoying the CMSD Summer Learning Experience, some District educators gained summer work experience in the STEM industry.
Vivian Lee of Davis Aerospace and Maritime High School, Adam Holtz of Orchard STEM School and Anita Rice of Anton Grdina participated in a pilot run of the NeoSTEM Educator Externship program.
The educators got a firsthand look at careers in STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) and picked up real-world perspective, examples and resources they can incorporate in their work with students and pass along to peers. They also built relationships that could bring mentors and materials to their schools.
The month-long pilot was the work of NeoSTEM, a partnership between educators, business and industry, government, philanthropy and others. NeoSTEM is among nearly 100 “learning ecosystems,” mostly in the United States, that promote STEM careers to groups underrepresented in the industry.
“There truly is a problem with students of color not seeing themselves in STEM professions and, therefore, not pursuing them,” said Alyssa Briggs, NeoSTEM director.
Fellowships introduce CSU education students to CMSD
As they finish work on their degrees at Cleveland State University, more than 30 students are receiving experience in urban education through the Cleveland Teaching Fellowship.
The fellowship, a partnership between CSU, CMSD and the Cleveland Foundation, engages highly qualified teacher candidates in paid student teaching positions at District schools. This is also a talent pipeline for CMSD.
Katleyn Zeitz, a member of what is the fellowship program's sixth cohort, is spending four days a week in a kindergarten classroom at William Rainey Harper School.
“This is giving me the opportunity to learn the ins and outs that I would have never received if I weren’t in this fellowship,” said Zeitz, who is majoring in early childhood education, PreK-5, at Cleveland State.
Students build websites during summer internships (Video)
More than two dozen CMSD high school students are starting the school year off with a better understanding of how to code websites.
They spent part of their summer break on the Cleveland State University Campus participating in the Web Corps program. Web Corps was created by TECH CORPS, a non-profit formed to create marketable skills tied to a growing job sector.
“It's really fascinating,” said Maria, a senior at John Marshall School of Information and Technology. “I like the way we code and work together as a team.”
The summer work was part of the new Cleveland Tech Talent Pipeline that CMSD and CSU are developing with a $2 million National Science Foundation grant.
Library, Hall of Fame connect students with college fair
Just yards away from the Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium at the Pro Football Hall of Fame in Canton, close to 100 CMSD high school students were making moves toward a successful college career.
The Black College Fair, hosted Sept. 2 by the Black College Football Hall of Fame, exposed CMSD and other high school students to historically black colleges and universities and all they have to offer.
"And help them to bridge the gap between what they want to be and where they can go to college,” said Akil Blount, Black College Football Hall of Fame manager. The Black College Football Hall of Fame is located inside the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
There are more than 100 HBCUs across the United States. Wilberforce and Central State universities are located in Ohio.
"This is an amazing experience for all of us," said Myla, an East Tech High School senior. “It is very empowering. It shows us that there are other people out there that can do the things we want to do, and we can follow in their footsteps.”
Former Cleveland pitcher Sabathia donates $25,000 to school (Video)
Former Cleveland Indians Pitcher CC Sabathia says he will always call Cleveland home.
He is not from Cleveland but has fond memories of playing here from 2001-2008. That is why he and his wife decided to donate $25,000 to Garrett Morgan School of Leadership and Innovation.
“Just so these kids know there are so many opportunities for them,” Sabathia said when he announced the donation last month.
Cleveland Metropolitan School District
Email: newstips@ClevelandMetroSchools.org
Website: ClevelandMetroSchools.org
Location: 1111 Superior Avenue, Cleveland, OH, USA
Phone: 216-838-0000