Build Shaker Better welcomes all voices! Please reach out via our comment form at the bottom of the page with your questions, concerns, and ideas. If you've got something you'd like to submit, let us know. Input and involvement from all who are part of our Shaker Schools community is important to make these project results stronger.
Your voice matters.
These projects can be improved by making the people impacted by them a part of the process. Robust engagement is a fundamental principal of good project planning - time and again, involvement by an informed community has been shown to result in stronger projects. Already neighborhood voices have made a real difference in making both the Ludlow and Woodbury projects better for students, teachers, and neighbors alike.
But there's still lot's of work to do, these projects are just getting started. You have something to offer, whether you are a parent, a student, a teacher or other school district employee, a neighbor of a project, or a citizen engaged for any other reason. There's lots of ways you can act. A successful strategy for getting engaged and making a difference can include these steps:
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Getting informed
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Gathering a network
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Reaching out to decision makers
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Offering solutions and alternatives
Get informed.
The first step in being effectively engaged is understanding the relevant facts regarding these projects.
While there is plentiful information available regarding the Long-Term Facilities Master Plan, the sources are widely scattered. This website attempts to provide the most relevant information organized in a more user friendly way, but cannot be fully comprehensive. Some sources of information that have been useful are listed below.
Shaker Heights Schools
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The Long Term Facilities Master Plan webpage includes many current updates, including links to separate pages for Ludlow, Woodbury, and the Elementary schools.
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Archives of many facilities planning documents are available here.
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The Board of Education page provides information on upcoming meeting times, and a link to the video livestream, which also includes an archive of past meetings.
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Board Docs provides a repository of agendas, minutes, and presentations of current and past meetings, including resolutions acted upon by the Board.
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The Treasurer's webpage provides access to school financial information. Of particular interest is the Annual Comprehensive Financial Report (ACFR), issued each year after the annual audit is complete and including summaries of budgets, funding, enrollment, and other school data.
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Records of the District are public documents which can be requested with a public records request to the Treasurer's Executive Assistant, subject to certain legal limitations per District Policy KBA "Public Right to Know".
City of Shaker Heights
The City's role in these projects in primarily in design and planning/zoning reviews, as well as regulation through the Building and Housing and other related departments. Most relevant information sources:
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Limited information from the Forward Together facilities planning efforts is available here.
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Exterior additions and modifications are reviewed by the Architectural Board of Review. Their agendas are posted publicly at the Agenda center, but the submissions are not. They may be requested as public records from ABR staff by emailing to planning@shakerheightsoh.gov
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The Board of Zoning Appeals and City Planning Commission (BZA-CPC) reviews variance requests and under certain conditions site plans (smaller additions are exempt from review). Their agendas are also posted publicly, and will include copies of the submitted drawings and other graphics.
Other reference sources
The Shaker Heights Public Library's local history collection has a wealth of photographs and documents regarding the schools and other Shaker history, and of course very helpful librarians.
The Cleveland Memory Project offers a collection of materials specific to Shaker.
Cleveland Historical also includes many good stories that focus on Shaker's history.
Gather a network.
While it may not need to be said in Shaker, if there is any aspect of our schools and civic life of concern to you, many of your neighbors will care deeply about it as well. When engaging on these projects, inform your neighbors.
Let them know what is happening, why it's important to you, and invite them to join you at meetings in learning more and sharing your voices.
Connect with decision makers.
Shaker Heights School District
Administration / staff
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Dr. David Glasner, Superintendent
glasner_d@shaker.org 216.295.1400
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Jeff Grosse, Asst. Superintendent Business & Operations
grosse_j@shaker.org 216.295.4310
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Dave Boyer, Director of Buildings & Grounds
boyer_d@shaker.org 216.295.4333
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Sean Brown, Asst. Director Building & Grounds
brown_sean@shaker.org 216.295.4394
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Julie Hullett, Communications Specialist
Board of Education
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Doug Wang, Board President
1st term 1/1/2024 - 12/31/2027
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Lora Cover, Board Vice President
2nd term 1/1/2026 - 12/31/2029
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Kate Nielson
1st term 1/1/2026 - 12/31/2029
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James Reed III
1st term 1/1/2026 - 12/31/2029
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Pam Scott
1st term 1/1/2024 - 12/31/2027
BOE meetings are open to the public, and the schedule is posted on the Board of Education's webpage. The public can comment during the regular meetings at a designated time. Members of the public can sign up ahead of time, or comment without advance signup if time allows.
The City of Shaker Heights
Select Department Contacts
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The Planning Department provides administrative work to the Architectural Board of Review and CPC-BZA.
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Contact planning@shakeronline.com
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ABR meetings are typically held online and can be observed by the public. There is no public comment period, but comments can be submitted in advance of meetings.
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Planning/Zoning meetings are held in person in at City Hall in Council Chambers, and include an opportunity to comment in person. Comments can also be submitted in advance.
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The Building and Housing Department has regulatory authority over project permitting and construction, and will be the best contact if concerns arise during construction.
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The Public Works Department should be contacted regarding general maintenance issues. Concerns specific to trees can be directed to the City Forester.
Elected officials
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Mayor David E. Weiss mayor@shakerheightsoh.gov
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City Council (emails available thru council webpage)
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Orlando Alvarez
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Kim Bixenstine
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Peter Chengelis
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Tenille Kaus
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Sean Malone
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Nancy Moore
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Carmella Williams
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Offer solutions and alternatives.
The issues faced by the Shaker School Administration and Board (and all local governments in general for that matter) can be challenging, and require balancing a range of factors: budgets, policies, changing regulations, conflicting public opinions.
It's not easy work. Citizen participation can bring great strength to a project when working collaboratively. Patience, mutual respect, and a desire to find workable solutions together bringing creativity and thoughtful ideas can go a long way to finding solutions where everyone can win.