In this Message

• Facilities Webinar on Wednesday, March 13
• Proposed Calendar Changes for 2023-2024, 2024-2025
• District Meeting with S&P Bond Rating Representatives
• City Grants Conditional Use Permit for Modular Classrooms 
• Facilities Advisory Committee Update
• Share with Your Neighbors: Sign Up To Receive Updates

Facilities Webinar on Wednesday, March 13

The next District facilities webinar is on Wednesday, March 13, at noon. Hear updates, ask questions and receive information on the working process for this exciting and transformative project for the Shaker Heights Schools!

Join here: https://shaker.zoom.us/j/94524342669. This webinar will be recorded.

Proposed Calendar Changes for 2023-2024, 2024-2025

A District team has been working on proposed amendments to the 2023-2024 and 2024-2025 calendars. Highlights of the proposed changes include:

• The current 2023-2024 school year would end one day earlier (from June 6 to June 5) for K-8 students.
• PreK-8 faculty/staff will be provided professional days on June 6 and 7 for packing of classrooms and work spaces and for clerical tasks.
• District DEI Professional Learning Day will take place August 14, 2024.
• January 6, 2025, will be a regular student instructional day. The professional day originally scheduled on that date will be moved up to August 15, 2024. All staff and faculty would report on August 15 instead of August 16. 
• The 2024-2025 school year would end one day earlier in order to maintain 173 student days and 185 staff days, which is the same number of staff and student days pre- and post-revision.  

The proposed calendar changes are aimed at providing time for packing and unpacking while prioritizing student instructional time, family needs and the need for staff professional learning. Additional, optional times for packing, moving and unpacking related tasks will also be provided for interested staff. The proposed amendments will be shared with the Board of Education at its Tuesday, March 12 meeting. View both the current and proposed calendars here. To submit public comment regarding the proposed calendar changes, click here. Comments must be submitted by noon on Tuesday, April 16.

District Meeting with S&P Bond Rating Representatives

On Wednesday, March 6, 2024, Superintendent Dr. David Glasner, Interim Treasurer Shelley McDermott and Chief Operating Officer Jeffrey Grosse met with representatives from Standard & Poor’s (S&P) in Chicago to advocate for retaining the District’s AA+ bond rating. The team, accompanied by Bond Counsel from Squire Patton Boggs LLP, gave an overview of the District’s Long-Term Master Facilities Plan, renovation and construction plans, an economic overview of the community and an update on District finances. 

Bond ratings are being reevaluated because the District will assume additional debt as the result of voter approval of the November 2023 bond issue. High bond ratings ensure the District continues to see favorable borrowing rates. S&P is currently in the process of reviewing the District’s presentation and financial projections and will provide the District with an updated Bond rating in the near future.

Example imagery of modular units

City Grants Conditional Use Permit for Modular Classrooms

The Board of Zoning Appeals and City Planning Commission approved the District’s request to place two temporary modular classrooms at the Middle School beginning in the 2024-2025, as well as a request for a variance to the front yard setback requirements. The modular classrooms will accommodate students and staff during the renovation and transformation of Woodbury Elementary School into a Middle Years Building. The modular classrooms will be placed in the Fayette Road front yard of the Middle School. A variance was needed because the modular units are to be set back less than 50 feet from the sidewalk.

The commission granted the conditional use permit on the condition the District revise its landscape plans that includes native species of shrubs and trees. The revised landscape plan is due by March 18, 2024. The Planning Commission’s approval of the District’s permit request still needs to be confirmed by City Council at its March 25, 2024, meeting.

Facilities Advisory Committee Update

The Facilities Advisory Committee met on Monday, March 4. The group was joined by Chief Operating Officer Jeff Grosse for a discussion on sustainability, followed by a discussion on the committee goals and structures. The committee will seek to create subcommittees based on member interest and expertise to support the agreed upon committee values and objectives.

Share With Your Neighbors: Sign Up To Receive Updates

All community members may sign up to receive these ongoing information updates about the District’s long-term facilities plan. Please share this link with your neighbors to sign up: Click here to receive long-term facilities plan updates. (Current staff and families will automatically receive emails.)