New Design Idea For CH-UH Schools Would Preserve Most Buildings

Residents and parents were at the most recent Cleveland Heights-University Heights Facilities Master Plan meeting that the presented eliminated many neighborhood schools.

They were also worried that students who ranged from four to 14 years old would be on one school site, as the district proposed pre-kindergarten and kindergarten through eighth grade campuses. The CH-UH district announced that architects and administrators have created a third design idea to include that input.

The "New Plan" includes the following, according to a press release:

• (grades 9-12) located on the existing site. The historic core, football stadium, and swimming pool would be preserved and renovated; the many building additions would be demolished, and new space will be added to create a modern high school. Original plans called for moving the pool and fields elsewhere, which concerned students and parents.
• Three intermediate schools (grades four through eight) located on the existing middle school sites: , , and .
• Four primary schools (pre-kindergarten through third grade) would be in the renovated , , and locations.
• At Roxboro and Monticello Middle schools, the historic core would be preserved, the many additions will be demolished, and new space added to create modern fourth through eighth grade intermediate schools. Fourth-, fifth- and sixth-graders would be physically separated from seventh- and eighth-graders.
• Wiley Middle School would be demolished and re-built.
• At Canterbury, Roxboro Elementary, Oxford, and Boulevard, the existing buildings will be re-purposed; some of the interiors will be remodeled to accommodate the flexible learning spaces that are necessary for teaching and learning today and into the future.

With this new plan, , and would close.

The first two design ideas called for closing about a half a dozen schools.

In “Design Idea A,” Heights High remains a high school, and pre-kindergarten through eighth grade campuses are created at Monticello, Roxboro and Wiley.

In “Design Idea B,” Heights High remains a high school, K-8 campuses are created at Roxboro and Wiley and PK-3 programs exist at Oxford, Canterbury and Coventry.

Which plan do you like? Take our poll below and tell us in the comments.

The fourth Facilities Master Planning Community Meeting has been to allow for more feedback and time to review the new plan, according to the press release. Officials will present one single idea, along with the financial plan to pay for it, at this meeting.

The , which first studied the schools in the district after the Ohio School Facilities Commission concluded that the buildings were antiquated and required a major overhaul, will review the plans at a meeting March 20.

In addition, the facilities planning team and PTAs at the schools will host more informational meetings to get additional feedback and answer questions. All are scheduled from 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. (except for one indicated below) and are open to the public.

March 22: Roxboro Elementary

March 26: Fairfax Elementary

March 27: Gearity Professional Development School

April 2: Noble Elementary, *6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m.

April 3: Oxford Elementary

April 4: Canterbury Elementary

April 5: Boulevard Elementary

April 18: Heights High Social Room (childcare and refreshments will be provided)