The Plain Dealer

2/5/2008

Thomas Ott

Plain Dealer Reporter

Cleveland schools chief Eugene Sanders offered his take on the state of the district Monday, but he said little about what matters most to parents: their children’s safety.

Fears soared in October, when Success Tech Academy student Asa Coon shot and wounded two other teenagers and two teachers, then killed himself. Anxiety flared again recently when a principal and two teachers were injured during encounters with students.

But Sanders devoted only brief attention to security Monday, even as he talked about enticing students from the suburbs to a proposed regional high school. He spoke generally about zero tolerance and getting parents more involved.

In an interview after the speech, his second since becoming chief executive in July 2006, Sanders said the district is making good on pledges to have metal detectors and at least one security guard in every school. But he said problems will never disappear without help from the community.

“The real challenge is to work with families,” he said.

Sanders also outlined a series of academic initiatives. But teachers union President Joanne DeMarco said the effort will be for naught if schools are unsafe.

Here’s what Sanders said on other topics:

School construction:

The district will hold 75 community planning meetings in the next two months as it continues a billion-dollar building and renovation program. Each meeting will focus on one building.

The district is reworking the project because of declining enrollment. Officials also may ask voters to extend debt payments on a construction bond for nine years, to 2019, so it can raise another $217 million. The state pays 68 percent of construction costs.

The community meetings were to start in October but were put on hold after the shootings.

Academies:

Two specialized high schools, or academies, will open next fall.

One academy will concentrate on science, technology, engineering and math. Officials plan to recruit 25 percent of the students from the suburbs. The state will pay for the suburban students to go to the school.

The other academy will be devoted to industrial design and technology. Students at both academies will attend classes on a local college campus during their senior years.

Parental and community involvement:

Sanders said the schools will recruit thousands of adults who will work with students and encourage them to attend classes and graduate. He said that starting in fall 2009, parents will be able to go online to check their children’s homework and grades.

To reach this Plain Dealer reporter:

tott@plaind.com, 216-999-5739

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