The Summer Music Series on Clifton Plaza started May 6. There will be music every Friday and Saturday evening through end of July. There is also beer for sale. Don’t let the roped off area scare you aware – the rope is required by the beer permit. Come out and join your neighbors in the Business District. Check out the full schedule by clicking on the poster photo below.
At 9:45pm, May 11, CTM received a copy of the public meeting agenda to be held by CPS Board of Education in conjunction with Clifton Cultural Arts Center, Fairview-Clifton LSDMC, and CTM. All are invited to this meeting at the CPS Administration building on Burnet Woods. Conference Room 1-A. The meeting duration is scheduled for one hour. There is no time on the agenda for public speaking.
A G E N D A
SPECIAL PUBLIC MEETING
CPS Board of Education & Clifton Cultural Arts Center
May 12, 2016
4:00 PM
Vision: Cincinnati Public Schools will be a community that ensures equitable access to a world-class education, unleashing the potential of every student.
Mission: We educate all students with rigor and care in a culture of excellence to develop engaged citizens who are prepared for life.
A. CALL TO ORDER
1. Pledge to Flag
2. Roll Call
NEW BUSINESS
B. Introductions
C. Vision 2020 – Strengthening Neighborhood Schools – Mary Ronan, Superintendent; Laura Mitchell, Deputy Superintendent
D. Lead agency & CLC definitions – Julie Doppler, CLC Coordinator
(Brainbox at Fairview School site)
E. Proposed outcomes – Ericka Copeland-Dansby, CPS Board President
· Carriage House
· Shared Space Agreement
F. Response to zoning issues – Bill Moehring, Interim Chief Operations Officer
G. Other issues
H. Adjournment
Office of the Board Members
May 12, 2016
Strategic Goals
1. Cultivate a robust and inclusive network of engaged parents, community and other stakeholders that work together to build safe, vibrant schools at the center of safe, vibrant communities (GREAT COMMUNITIES);
2. Support the creation of highly engaging learning environments in which every child, every day, engages in an ideal balance between rigorous learning opportunities relevant to our dynamic world, and at the same time enjoys the focused concern of caring adults (GREAT LEARNING ENVIRONMENTS);
3. Provide for expanded learning opportunities and choices for all students that reflect a shared concern for the whole child and demonstrate appreciation for every student as a unique individual (GREAT LEARNING CHOICES);
4. Enable the recruitment, growth, and advancement of distinguished professionals committed to serving diverse students with a high regard for equity, and in a manner characterized by rigor, innovation, and accountability (GREAT PEOPLE); and
5. Ensure that all operations, and resources of every type, are equitably distributed, and singularly and systemically focused on high academic achievement for all students (GREAT SYSTEMS).
CTM Trustees voted on May 2 to notify CPS of flaws in the survey that CPS sent to Clifton-area families during April. The full letter is detailed below.
May 9, 2016
Ericka Copeland-Dansby, President Cincinnati Board of Education
Mary Ronan, Superintendent Cincinnati Public Schools
Melanie Bates, Vice President CPS BOE
Eve Bolton, Member CPS BOE
Carolyn Jones, Member CPS BOE
Daniel Minera, Member CPS BOE
A. Chris Nelms, Member CPS BOE
Dear President Copeland-Dansby, Superintendent Ronan, and Members of the Board of Education,
I am writing to you on behalf of Clifton Town Meeting (CTM) regarding the recent survey sent to some of our residents by Cincinnati Public Schools (CPS). Based on recent comments by Superintendent Ronan we understand the intention is to use these survey results for making decisions related to a neighborhood school for Clifton, CUF, and Spring Grove Village. We believe this survey to be incapable of providing any meaningful information on which to base decisions about a neighborhood school.
Please understand that we do not like having to address this problem after the fact, or in public. We regret that we can find no other recourse to prevent the misuse of the survey data. This could have been avoided had we not been shut out of the process:
• Prior to the distribution of the survey, several of our Trustees conveyed concerns to CPS about its questions
• On March 23, the Superintendent agreed to send us the final version with April 15 the due date for comments
• At our April 4 board meeting, President Copeland-Dansby presented a new version of the survey for our review and comment
• We sent it to several experts who found serious problems and offered to work with your survey people, to which Superintendent Ronan agreed (April 11)
• But on April 13, the Superintendent told us we were too late and that the survey had been sent out – without letting us see this new version, and prior to the due date for comments, and inexplicably contrary to her express agreement not two days earlier.
• Since then, our experts have evaluated this new version and are unanimous in finding it unreliable if not misleading. Their complete reviews and credentials are attached.
Clifton has long been a strong supporter of Cincinnati Public Schools and wants to continue this support. We campaign for school levies, raise money for schools, volunteer time and resources to enrich students’ experiences, and are passionate about the value of education for all children. Part of that support includes taking responsibility for helping head off problems we see coming. We tried to head off the survey problem: we warned the Administration that the survey was flawed, but it was sent out anyway. Now we are alerting you that if the survey results are used, they will only lead to bad decisions. That is one very important issue, yet there is a bigger one underlying it, and that is the exclusion of CTM from the planning process. We were led to expect that collaboration would be welcome, but I am sad to report that our experience has not borne this out. What do we need to do to achieve this mutual goal?
At this time, there is a unique opportunity to have a process with strong participation from the community. The need to address the overcrowding at Fairview-Clifton German Language School, the desire to save the CCAC, and the need to provide reliable access to excellent education have inspired our community to work together toward the best outcome possible. Clifton has long been a strong supporter of Cincinnati Public Schools and wants to continue this support. We want to be partners with you and bring our passion, creativity, and all our other resources together to create outstanding educational opportunities for all children in Clifton and beyond.
As previously expressed in motions of our Board and communications from our Trustees, we want to collaborate with CPS to develop a process that includes our participation and involvement in the proposals for Clifton. Please let us work with you to develop this process.
Sincerely,
Eric Urbas
President, Clifton Town Meeting
*** Click Evaluation of April 2016 CPS Survey by Research Professionals to read the analysis referenced in the letter. ***
The Uptown Consortium has launched a buy local campaign to drive customers to local businesses. The YourUptown Campaign will spotlight businesses and events in Uptown through a new web site and bi-monthly email blasts. Buying local means your money goes directly into the community to support its growth and sustainability. It makes the community more vibrant and attractive to even more local businesses. Sign up for the bi-weekly newsletter for exclusive Uptown offers, events and hidden gems! YourUptown.com is the best resource for shopping local in the Uptown Cincinnati neighborhoods. Sign up here: http://youruptown.com/sign-up/. Support our Uptown businesses and have a great time doing it! It’s time to Sign “UP”!
Clifton Town Meeting Trustees unanimously passed the following resolution at the CTM meeting on Monday, April 4 after listening to substantial feedback from many Clifton residents and others who utilize the Clifton Cultural Arts Center.
Resolution by Clifton Town Meeting to Preserve Clifton Cultural Arts Center and to Seek Guaranteed Access to Quality Public School Education
Whereas Clifton Town Meeting (CTM) finds Clifton Cultural Arts Center (CCAC) to be an essential asset to the schoolchildren and adult citizens of Clifton, Uptown and beyond, and
Whereas CTM finds access for Clifton schoolchildren to quality public school educational opportunities to be essential
Therefore, be it resolved:
That CTM respectfully requests Cincinnati Public Schools (CPS) not terminate the 2005 lease agreement with CCAC which would result in the loss of this essential asset to Clifton, Fairview-Clifton German Language School, Uptown and the Cincinnati community-at-large, and
That CTM respectfully requests to be an active partner with CPS in assessing demand for various educational alternative among residents of Clifton and the entire 45220 zip code with the shared goal of achieving guaranteed access to high quality public school education, and
That CTM respectfully requests CPS to join with all community stakeholders including, but not limited to, CTM, Fairview-Clifton German Language School administrators, faculty and staff, LSDMC, CCAC, and CUF in an effort to build strong partnerships that lead to creative solutions to the current and future educational challenges of this community and beyond.
