Reaching Heights
Mar. 26, 2010 News from Reaching Heights
Sharing our Passion for Excellent Public Education
 
Greetings!  
 
 
Heading into Spring Break (which I capitalize out of respect for how my kids feel about it), I write to share some insights from aPatrick Mullen great advocate of public education on the occasion of her retirement from Reaching Heights, and pass along a few reminders of upcoming events and links to some of our newsletters.
 
Joy Henderson retired this week after serving as our Assistant Director for more than 11 years. Since I came onboard in 2007, she's been incredibly generous in sharing her comprehensive knowledge of our schools and our organization, always with humor and a light touch. She'll continue to serve our district as Parent/Community Liaison at Heights High, and you'll still see her tooling around town on her bike. I thought you might also enjoy reading some of what she learned over the last decade in "Lessons from Joy," below. Thank you, Joy, for all you've done and for who you are.
 
Have a restful break, one and all.
 
Patrick Mullen
Executive Director

Lessons From Joy
Joy Henderon  
 
 
At our March Reaching Heights board meeting (her last as Assistant Director), Joy Henderson shared some of what she learned during her 11 years here. Highlights:
 
  • Teachers are the most important factor in student success - even though I think I knew this in my heart 11 years ago, I feel great that our district has an intellectual vision of that and a plan to support teachers.
  • Teaching is a skill that can be learned. When teachers work together and share what they know, amazing things happen.
  • Strong leaders create strong schools and districts.
  • Nobody reads newsletter articles longer than 300 words.
  • I know the names of most streets in both cities from delivering newsletters.
  • Working with children can be very hard and exhausting.
  • Holding up the positive in schools can support improvement and build trusting relationships with school staff.
  • Reaching Heights is a force for good that will continue to change (and that's OK).
  • Our trustees are the soul of this organization. I love seeing them take an active role in leadership as they guide and shape the work.
As I'm sure Joy will be relieved to know, this item is not even close to 300 words long.
Spring 2010 Calendar Items

 

Make Time for Poetry Benefit, March 27

You're invited to a celebration of poets and poetry this Saturday, March 27, 6-8 p.m. at Mac's Backs Bookstore on Coventry Rd. (next to Tommy's). Come listen to live poetry, enjoy some good food, and help support poetry clubs in our schools.
 
Joy HenderonFor a $10 donation per adult, you'll get to hear featured poets including Allison McClain, Gail Bellamy, Eris Zion Venia, Ray McNiece, Shakka Hasberry, Tierra Briggs, and Roxboro Middle School Poets. Student poets accompanied by an adult receive free admission. Enjoy hors d'oeuvres from local restaurants, homemade desserts, Restless Coffee and other beverages. Most importantly, support school poetry clubs at Boulevard, Canterbury, Gearity, Fairfax Elementary Schools and Roxboro Middle School.
 
More than 100 kids in 4th-8th grade participate weekly in poetry clubs, with a final poetry celebration at the Heights Main Library on April 24th. The poetry clubs receive funding from Reaching Heights and school PTAs. This benefit aims to raise $500.00 for additional instructional time, guest poets, poetry books and journals, and publishing costs for each club's poetry anthology. Questions: Contact Cynthia (216-321-9711 or
[email protected])
 
 
Build Community While Improving Your Garden
Shop at Bremec on the Heights Garden Center and a portion of your purchase (excludes contractor & commercial sales and service charges such as delivery or tree planting fees) will be donated to Home Repair Resource Center. HRRC Board members will be there with balloons and hot dogs.

When: Sunday, April 25 & Sunday, May 2 � 10am - 5pm
Where: Bremec On the Heights Garden Center, 13410 Cedar Rd., Cleveland Heights, OH 44118 � (216) 932-0039 � www.bremec.com
How: Just print and bring the flier you'll find by clicking here!
If you can't come those days, the flier can be submitted with your purchase to help support Home Repair Resource Center any time between April 19 and May 2.
Home Repair Resource Center is a nonprofit organization dedicated to keeping Cleveland Heights in good repair! HRRC has served the people and houses of our community since it was established in 1971 as a mission outreach of Forest Hill Church, Presbyterian. The purpose of Home Repair Resource Center is to maintain and strengthen the houses of Cleveland Heights, Ohio, to support the community's rich diversity. HRRC programs help residents complete repairs to their homes (both do-self and contracted), advocate for improved housing, and renovate seriously deteriorated properties and return them to the community in excellent condition.

 

Words and Music from Reaching Heights
  • Words: 19th Annual Reaching Heights Spelling Bee 

    Joy Henderon
    The 19th Annual Reaching Heights Adult Community Spelling Bee takes the stage at the Heights High auditorium on Wednesday, April 21, at 7 p.m. More than two dozen teams each raise at least $500 to support Reaching Heights grants to CH-UH teachers. 2009 Reaching Heights Spelling Bee champions The Know Knothings, Anne Kugler, Fran Lissemore, and Jim Wright will defend their title. 2009 Fundraising Champions were the Language Lovers at $3,676 and CWRU's Upper Case team at $1,275. Judges for this year's competition are Cleveland Heights Municipal Judge A. Deane Buchanan, CH-UH Superintendent Doug Heuer, Rev. John Lentz, pastor of Forest Hill Presbyterian Church, and Heights Library Director Nancy Levin.

    Proceeds from this friendly competition - more than $250,000 to date - go directly into the Heights schools through our School Team Grant program.
    So please join in the fun April 21, 2010. at 7 p.m.in the Cleveland Heights High School Auditorium, and cheer on your favorite team. Admission is free, and you can see the words as they're spelled (they're projected on a screen that the spellers can't see).

  • Music: 6th Annual Heights Summer Music Camp

    Mark your calendar for the 6th Annual Heights Summer Music Camp, June 21-26, 2010, at Wiley Middle School. Summer is a perfect time for busy students to focus on their interests. If your 5th-8th grader's interest is music, now's the time to sigh up for the 2010 Heights Summer Music Camp. It Joy Henderongives students in the CH-UH school district's instrumental music program a chance to explore music in an intensive yet leisurely environment. The camp helps students perfect skills and deepen their commitment to music, both of which help build on our district's great musical tradition.

    The Cleveland Heights-University Heights School District provides a home for the camp. Reaching Heights sponsors and organizes the camp: recruits and enrolls campers; recruits and manages the staff; solicits scholarship donations and awards camper scholarships; manages auditions and daily camp operations. Families provide camper fees, encouragement, commitment to music education, and their eager campers.

    The camp culminates with a Saturday morning finale concert. The daily routine includes two orchestra rehearsals, chamber groups, sectional rehearsals, music theory, and recreation and lunch breaks. Students also participate in one of three electives: chorus, jazz or guitar. The camp targets students in the district's instrumental program ages 10 to 15 who have two years of experience with their instrument  or a year of private instruction. It is open to any district resident who meets the eligibility requirements. Up to 85 campers may participate. Click here for more information and to apply.
 
 
 
From Our Newsletters: What's Happening in Our Schools?
  • Our Latest School Newsletters Available Online
    This year, Reaching Heights is publishing four newsletters highlighting some of the work going on in our schools. You can read about news from Oxford and Noble schools here, and about Boulevard, Fairfax, and Roxboro here. Our Canterbury/Gearity newsletter will be out soon, and in May, look for  a special four-page insert in the Heights Observer with news from across the CH-UH district.
 
 
Help Us Help Our Students and Teachers - Donate Today!
Reaching Heights exists to help our Cleveland Heights-University Heights public schools deliver an excellent education to every student. If you've made it this deep into this email message, I know you share our passion. Please make a donation today to help us continue our work. Thank you!
 
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